


Black Magic

by RebelWolf



Series: Old Black Magic [1]
Category: The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24436777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelWolf/pseuds/RebelWolf
Summary: “I know all too well who he is, and I know that only a fool would dare to try to call him forth let alone think about it. I’m just saying that this is some of the strongest and most evil Black Magic in existence and you need to be careful. This along with your problems could be a dangerous combination.”
Series: Old Black Magic [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764820
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Why won’t it stop, damn,” he said to himself. “I wish it would just stop.” He rubs the sides of his head applying a little pressure slowly from the front to the back and back to the front, just like he had been doing for the last 45 minutes. It wasn’t helping.

A low painful sounding moan escaped his lips as he closed his eyes and lowered his head to the table as he continued to rub it back and forth. After a few minutes, he felt soft, yet firm hands slide over his head moving back and forth just as his hands had been doing, but they were actually easing he pain that was literally driving him crazy. He moaned but this time it was not full of pain.

After what seemed like half an hour, but was actually only 10 minutes, he slowly raised his head to see a woman standing before him with a devilish smile on his lips. He sneered at her saying, “What are you doing here? What do you want witch?”

She smiled and leaned toward him in a very suggestive fashion. She said, “Aw, Rowland, is that any way to speak to a lady, my love?”

Without looking at her he said, “First, I am not your love and second, you are no lady by any standard. Hell, I don’t even believe you to be female, witch.”

She stared at him for a second before throwing her head back and letting loose and loud evil sounding laugh that made the hairs on his arm stand on end. She then turned to him with unearthly eyes ablaze with fire saying, “You know damn well that I am all woman, as you have quenched your desires and needs in my womanhood many a time. You also know that I am not a witch and I would warn you one last time to remember that.”

Rowland stood from his chair and went to the water bucket to get something to drink. After which he said, “Yes, Daniera I am all too aware that you are not a witch for you are worse. You are a Succubus, a female demon from hell, you bitch!”

She was a Succubus and they were a servant of hell that had been around thousands of years. The she-devils of toady were very different from those of long ago. Today’s Succubus appear as hauntingly beautiful seductive women, rather than the hideous old hags of ancient legend. Today they want not only to please themselves but to also please the victims they seduce. The life force energy that they draw from their victims is what they need to live and by pleasing the men their life energy is stronger and sweeter.

Today they are as cleaver and powerful as they are beautiful. They tantalize men with their words as much as their bodies. They can be domineering and vengeful if they are slighted, but they ultimately take pride in their ability to please and manipulate men. They can be nasty, sneaky, controlling, malicious and vindictive while they use the power of sex for their own purposes. Not only do they delight in controlling men, but they take great pride in pleasing them, corrupting them and then destroying them. In the end they drain the life force and leave the shriveled dried up husk of a body lying in the dirt. Besides the life force that they need to survive they take great pleasure in satisfying their unearthly sexual desire but many times they also force the men to get them pregnant.

He stood with his back to her as she flew into a rage and shimmered for a few seconds before she changed into her true self. She stood almost 6-foot-tall and had a huge set of leathery black wings much like those of a bat. She had horns that stood up on her head. They were long and twisted and extremely sharp. She had 3-inch fangs that hung from the top row of her teeth down over her lower lip. Her hand had turned into long vicious and sharp claws as her feet had turned into something like hoofs with talons instead of toes.

Her lips, hair and eyes had changed into a wet looking blood color. Her clothes had also changed into a two-piece outfit that was made from some kind of bloody looking skin or hide and it was covered with 2-inch scales that barely covered her large breasts and crotch areas. She also had a long scaly tail that ended in a point approx. 7-foot-long. She loosened a blood-curdling scream as she threw herself at him from across the room.

He did not react or turn around when she screamed. He remained standing with his back to her until the very moment before she touched him. At the very touch of her on his skin he turned around, grabbed her by the throat and one wing. She stopped dead in her forward movement. He then wheeled her around and slammed her into the wall as hard as he could. This caught her completely by surprise and knocked the wind completely out of her. 

He held her pinned against the wall, leaning his face in close to hers with a snarl of bared teeth at her. He slowly moved closer to her bare twisted neck. She struggled to break free, but he held her in a steel grip, and he opened his mouth as she squirmed trying to get free. He closed his mouth down on her bare skin and then bit down on her neck, hard until he tasted blood. She fought and screamed but he held her tight against the wall.

He drank of her blood, filling his mouth with her hot bitter blood. He then pulled his face back far enough that he could turn to her lips and force a hard kiss on her waiting mouth. She drank of the blood he held in his mouth and moaned a deep feral growl returning his kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes clawing and pulling at each other until he released his hold on her.

He then picked her up and put her across the table and climbed up on top of the table as she ripped and tore at his pants until he was bare at which time, he mounted her like an animal. They thrashed and clawed at each other like 2 deranged wildcats. They fought and lunged against each other until they had both reach pent up sexual release that tore the very strength from their bodies. They collapsed on the table in a heated heap and just laid there until they had the energy to move.

Their latest sexual ramp had taken a lot out of them both. They had fallen asleep right there on the table for almost 20 minutes before making an attempt to untangle themselves without falling off the table onto the floor.

As they eased back into chairs to catch their breath, she asked, “Are you still having headaches? Are they because of your problems with PTSD?”

He leaned back in his chair and said, “No they are not caused by PTSD and I don’t want to hear any more talk about PTSD. I believe it has something to do with the power spells I have been working lately. I believe that after I have finished them not only will I have new unbelievable powers, but the headaches should stop.”

She was quiet for a few seconds before saying, “These power spells are dangerous, and they could destroy you long before you finish them.”

“Not to worry, I have control of them, and I know what I’m doing. They are only dangerous when you start trying to do something stupid and that is something I don’t plan to do.”

She smiled and said, “Do you know how many times over the last 1400 years I have heard that very statement. I have seen some amazing warlocks and witches attempt exactly what you are doing, and they were destroyed in the process. Is your death worth it?”

He sat upright and said, “Worth it? Hell yes, it’s worth it. With these new powers I will be able to call forth Lucifer himself. Lucifer, you do know who he is, right?”

She smiled and said, “I know all too well who he is, and I know that only a fool would dare to try to call him forth let alone think about it. I’m just saying that this is some of the strongest and most evil black magic in existence and you need to be careful. This along with your problems could be a dangerous combination.”

He almost leapt up out of his chair slamming his fists down on the table glaring at her for a few seconds before saying in an extremely loud roar, “I have told you for the last time, I don’t have a problem and you will not ever speak of it again. Do you understand?” he was so mad he was drooling as he shouted. His face and neck had turned blood red and you could see the veins standing out across his face and neck.

Daniera didn’t move or react to him. She just looked at him and said, “Fine, as you prefer, but you know how I worry about you and I don’t think you have taken into consideration that this is Chicago and it is protected by Gentleman John Marcone and Wizard Harry Dresden. They are both members of the White Counsel and Dresden is extremely dangerous.”

“So am I, witch. So am I.” Rowland said as he grabbed up the chair and threw it across the room so hard that it was imbedded in the wall. He then went stomping out of the house and out into the cold Chicago night.

\------------------------- -------------------------

“Boom” echoed throughout the basement and first floor of the house shaking nick-nacks, glasses and moving pictures. She turned and ran for the basement door. She knew where it came from and who had done it, but she did not know if he was hurt or not. She quickly descended the stairs, rounded the corner and headed for the Sue the T-Rex poster, where she uttered “aperi ianuam” and the hidden door opened wide allowing her entrance into the basement lab foyer.

As she reached the doors to the lab, they burst open and a small cloud of grey smoke rolled out followed by a tall man wearing an AC/DC concert t-shirt, old torn blue jeans and boots. His face was streaked with black smoke and ash and his hair was sticking up in every direction. She caught him before he fell, and they eased back to the steps to sit down and catch their breath.

She looked at him with concern and asked, “What the hell happened. The whole house shook from that explosion?”

Just then another male exited the lab doors, but he was not having any trouble breathing, he was not real as in not human and not alive. He was an air spirit who went by the name “Bob”. He said, “Harry, I told you not to mix both of those until the moss had completely dissolved. You were in a hurry, as always and just about brought down the house.”

“Sorry about that, I honestly thought the moss had dissolved all the way down and I wasn’t in a hurry, I just have several spells and potions that I needed to restock, and I made a little mistake,” he said. He looked at Molly and asked, “Are you ok? Did I break anything?”

She smiled and said, “We are fine, I am fine, and the house is fine, but you did kind of rattle the windows. You need to pay more attention when mixing those chemicals.” She kissed him on the forehead and headed back upstairs.

Bob smirked and said, “Well, don’t look to me to hold your hand or kiss your forehead, yuck.” He then turned and changed into smoke to return to his skull.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Rowland, originally Jonathan Forest, was born in a small town in Nebraska where he lived there his entire childhood and only left when he joined the Army. He was sent to Vietnam where he served 2 tours of duty. Just before the end of his 2nd tour, his unit was ambushed and killed, he was severely wounded and captured by a band of Vietnamese regulars. 

They captured him and took him to a prison camp where he was held and tortured for 2 ½ years. He was kept in open human waste pits and /or muddy pits full of nasty disgusting and infected pits. They would cut him, break his bones, stab him and they even shot him a couple times. After each torture session he would be taken to a clinic and healed until he was healthy enough to start torturing again.

After one extremely brutal torture session, they were unable to heal him and had to bring in a phù thủy to heal him. A phù thủy is a Vietnamese witch and as soon as she touched his skin, she felt raw power stronger than she had ever felt in her life. This white man was a wizard, whether he knew it or not and his tormentors were unaware. She knew she had to fix him and get him out of here. She chanted, mixed potions, rubbed him with all kinds of ointments and creams until he finally started to heal. When it happened, she felt power rising from him and healing him, she had only started his inner magic working. When the phù thủy asked for payment, the soldiers beat her and threatened to kill her if she didn’t leave.

She was pissed and later that night she sent in a wrath of black smoke that choked everyone to death in their sleep except Rowland. She cast a white smoke spell over him, and he basically became a zombie and he followed her wherever she went and did whatever she told him to do. He stayed that way for almost a year after following her to Bali where the witch, Faba Lia, released him from her zombie spell and after a while started to teach him a little about the magic that she used. He was fascinated by magic and begged her to teach him everything. She agreed to teach him Leyak which was possibly the most dangerous and deadly black magic in the world, but he would have to give her something in return. He told her that he had nothing to give her, but she said that she would tell him what she wanted when the time was right, so he agreed.

For years he listened to every word she said and after a short time he had learned to speak her language which was a mix of Vietnamese and Tangalle. He proved to be a good student and was learning everything she could teach him. Soon he was casting spells and performing magic almost as good and strong as Faba. He also had to deal with nightmares, severe depression and panic attacks brought on from the time had had been in the prison camps and while in the zombie state. He had horrible dreams and sometimes spent weeks suffering in his hut or a cave. After several years he had gotten a small amount of control over these issues, but they still would return causing him problems. Faba showed him how to make a potion that would help with his mental issues but was not a cure. 

After almost 6 years, she told him that she had no more that she could teach him and that it was time for him to pay her for her teaching. He agreed and asked what he had to do. She explained that he would have to transform into a huge wild wolf, and he was to mate with her until she was with child. She explained that she had to remain in human form because that would create an extremely strong magical event during conceiving a child. This would also make the child a very powerful wizard. Rowland was very thankful to her and even felt some feelings, small as they were for her, so he agreed and that night and for the next 3 nights he transformed into a wolf just before midnight and then joined sexually with her. 

After the 4th night, she told him that she was with child and that it was a male child. She also told him that she was very glad that it had worked because she did not know if she could continue. As a wolf he was violent and had hurt her greatly. He told her he was very sorry, but she said that she knew this would happen before they started and had been prepared but it had been rough. She thanked him and then told him they would be leaving Bali by the next full moon.

They left a few days later and went to an island off the main island of the Philippines called West Samar where she introduced him to a small very old man, she called him Mangkukulam and said that he would be able to continue teaching him. She left a few days later and he never saw or heard of her again. He remained in West Samar for several years with the Mangkukulam learning additional types and levels of Leyak which was called Kulam.

Almost 5 years after arriving, Rowland was told that he was now a master of Kulam and Leyak and had to leave the island. He was told that he could never to return to the island or anywhere in the Philippines. When he asked why he was told that he was now a dangerous person and the people would kill him if he remained or returned. When he asked about the safety of his master, he was told that the master that had taught him had died hundreds of years ago and had only been risen from his grave so that he could teach Rowland the magic. Now that he was a master, his master had returned to his grave.

Rowland didn’t sleep that night or the next. He paid to ride on a small fishing boat to the main island in search of transportation off the islands. After arriving on the main island of the Philippines he found a boat heading to Macao, China which didn’t leave for 2 days. He grabbed a room and stayed inside until time for the boat to leave. As he was leaving the room, he was jumped by several men trying to kill him. He managed to fight them rather easily and killed all 8 of them with no harm to himself.

He quickly ran to the boat and hid below deck until after they out to sea. He remained out of sight from most of the crew and only came out on deck well after night had fallen. He had to kill 3 men during the trip, but no one said anything about them or asked any questions. After he landed in Macao, he made his way toward one of the large casinos where he went to the slot machine area and dropped in a few coins. 

Using a little of his magic he was able to get the machine to roll out a small jackpot. He took that money to the next casino and repeated it for a much larger jackpot. He went to 3 more casinos until he had a small fortune and then he found a bath house that was next to a tailor shop. He bathed, got a shave and haircut and then had a suit made that made him look like a completely different man. He then went back to the first casino and sat down at one of the Baccara tables and spent several hours playing Baccara and amassing a large fortune which he had placed in the casino vault.

For being a large winner, the casino put him up in a suite and he found a lifestyle that he felt agreed with him. He spent his time each day practicing his Krav Maga moves and then he would bath and use the sauna or swim, get a massage before having an early light dinner and then he would hit the casino floor for several hours. He would make sure he didn’t win too much or too often, and he would also move around to each of the casinos. He had started to become a recognized regular and it seemed to get around that he was a very wealthy playboy that had inherited a fortune from his family and just liked to live the casino lifestyle.

The casinos didn’t mind after a while because after months of watching him they realized that he was not cheating, nor did he have some kind of system. He was quite lucky, but he also lost just as regular as he won, it appeared. After 6 months he approached the casino manager about becoming a resident of the upper floors and was allowed to lease a large suite for his home. He became very familiar with the criminal elements in, out and around the casinos. He found several high-stake poker games and underground gambling parlors where he really raked in the cash. If he had any problem with the people running the games, he simply cast a spell and soon his problems disappeared.

He also managed to slip over to Hong Kong for more illegal gambling and he also rob several diamond and gold establishments with a little magic help and soon he had accumulated well over 5 billion dollars. He had the gold melted into new ingots with completely different markings and had most of the larger gems recut so they would not be recognized. He used magic to delete any etchings or engravings from the stones and kept them and the gold for future growth. Most of the money and a few of the gems he was able to filter through the system and stash in Swiss accounts for his future, which were around 10 billion, solid.

After living in China for almost 15 years, he moved to Damascus, Syria where he changed his name and slightly altered his appearance before getting all new paperwork and passport as a citizen of Syria. He met with and became a trusted associate of the Middle Eastern Transnational Organized Crime Groups (METOC). He became a high-ranking member (المافيا كابتن) that could provide world-wide connections and assistance anytime it was needed. After 5 years, he left Syria and settled in Bucharest, Romania where he managed to become a high-ranking Căpitanul Mafiei within the Balkan Transnational Organized Crime Group (BTOC) and was later introduced to the Eurasian Transnational Organized Crime Groups (ETOC) where he was welcomed and given a high position among the other Kapiteni Mafioz.

After 4 years, he then moved to London, England where he helped establish family units for each of the TOCs. He also changed his name and got all new paperwork. He lived for 5 years making sure that each of the TOC families were up, operational and profitable before moving back to the United States. He stopped in New York City where he established solid operational families for each of the TOCs. He also ditched his paperwork and changed his name and got all new paperwork. He continued his martial arts practices and his magic and became a very strong, dangerous and powerful man and wizard.

After checking on the status of his family back in Nebraska, he found that his parents, all of his uncles and all of his aunts except 1, his aunt Clara, had died. He didn’t know any of his cousins well enough to worry about them recognizing him after all these years. He found that his baby sister, Susan, was alive living in a care facility with poor health. He made arrangements with an attorney that was known to work strictly for the Mafia. He had Susan moved to a very nice home in the country in upstate Wisconsin and hired a small medical staff to tend to her 24-hours a day.

He was not worried that someone in his family would recognize him because he had just turned 19 years old when he left home to join the Army and had not been back since. He was now 72 years old and most of his family was dead or had no knowledge of him. He had also used a little magic to change his appearance and because he was a wizard, he didn’t age like normal people, so he looked like he was around 30 years old and would look like that for another 30 or 40 years. After he had accomplished everything he needed to do, he decided that it was time to move. He had looked around and decided to move to Chicago to make his home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was late in the afternoon when he woke up. He had been out late after yelling at Daniera, which he really shouldn’t have done because she was right. Even though he had a fairly good hold on his PTSD issues, that didn’t mean that he would when the magic turned black and powerful. Black magic had a nasty habit of doing things to a person’s mind.

He sat up on the edge of the bed scratching his head and trying to gently rub a small headache away. After a few minutes, he got up and got a large glass of water and popped in two aspirin to help with the gentle thumper before it got too much.

While he waited for the aspirin to kick in, he started checking through he store of magic ingredients and then made a list of the things he would need before he started casting any spells. He hadn’t been in town very long, but he had managed to find a few places that he would need right away and a place to buy and restock the magical pantry was number one.

He needed to start looking around for a decent place to live. He had come into town quietly and got a house on the far southwest side of town and kept his actions and practices on low power as not to trip anybody’s radar. He had spent a great deal of time and money finding out about Gentleman John Marcone and his organized dealing in Chicago and most of the greater mid-west. He was going to have to go slow and very quietly set up his operations. It would be best to have men already in place and ready before Marcone’s people found out about him.

The other worry he had was Wizard Harry Dresden. It wasn’t some much that he was worried that he was too powerful for him but after finding out a little about his past, mostly here in Chicago, he felt it was better to be safe than dead. Dresden had gone up against some might powerful folks, much more powerful than he but somehow, he defeated them by killing them and sending them away with their tail between their bloody legs. He was missing a very large piece of information and didn’t want to end up like the rest by not being prepared.

He sat down wondering about this wizard and not understanding how he could have destroyed the entire Red Court Vampires, all of them gone, dead by some kind of powerful magic. He knew that he was nowhere strong enough to do something like that so he couldn’t help but wonder how Dresden could have done it.

He also almost completely wiped out the Black Court as well. A few got away but he killed most of them. Not to mention the numerous attacks and then an invasion by the outsides which he was able to defeat and repel back behind the barrier. He had read about several run ins with the Order of the Blackened Denarius, whose members are referred to as Denarians or Knights of the Coin. He had an incident years ago with one of them and barely escaped with his life. So how did Dresden fight them and win each time.

He decided that there was something clearly missing from everything that he had gathered that would explain how he did these things and what he did them with. The one thing he knew for sure was that he was not going to charge in on him without knowing for sure what and who he is because that would just get him killed like so many others. He decided that he needed more information and that meant that he was going to have to call up one of his sources, so he checked his supplies and rechecked his list adding a few more items and got cleaned up to go to the store.

\------------------------- -------------------------

As he walked out the side door of the garage, he spotted a very large red-headed man standing next to the door. Harry greeted him with, “Morning Cujo, killed anyone this morning?”

Hendricks replied, “Not yet, but the day is still young.”

“Why are you here and what does your master want,” Harry asked? “If he wants to talk to me, he knows where to find me. You know it is just as far from him to me as….”

Harry was cut off by a sudden deep male voice saying, “As it is from me to you. Yes, Harry I do know that, and it is why I came to you this time.”

Harry smiled a small grin and said, “Well, this is a surprise, morning Johnny, how are you this lovely knee breaking morning?”

John Marcone is a businessman, mob boss, Freeholding Lord and Baron of Chicago under the Unseelie Accords. He is the most powerful crime boss in Chicago and a complete pain in Harry’s ass, though the two have worked together far more often than they have opposed each other.

Marcone looked at him with the same grin and said, “I would remind you again, it is John, just John or Mr. Marcone. Nice to see that you are just as unpleasant in the early morning as you are the rest of the day.”

Harry looked back at him and asked, “Ok, just John why are you here?”

This caused Hendricks to step toward Harry but Marcone raised his hand and said, “Gentlemen, this will solve nothing and no matter what you do to him he will still act the same. Harry, would you care to take a ride with me so that we may talk. I will bring you right back to you home after our conversation is concluded.”

Harry paused for a moment the said, “Alright but I would insist on driving along the lake. I just love the way the sunlight reflects off the water at this time of day, don’t you?”

Marcone stood aside with his head slightly hanging down and his right hand pinching the bridge of his nose as Harry walked to the car door and climbed in the back seat. Hendricks had come over and opened the car door and Marcone climbed in the back side beside Harry. Hendricks then settled behind the wheel and started driving.

As soon as they had turned the corner, Harry opened his mouth to speak but Marcone started a few seconds before him with, “I come to you for two reasons, this is you area as a White Council Warden and because I do not know the full extent of the danger and power that is coming. Have you gotten any bright spots or blips on you magic spidey senses lately?”

Harry was about to crack on him but could sense that he was serious about this subject. He also seemed a little different than usual. He gave it real though before saying, “I have been feeling small little sparks but noting big enough to cause me to roam the town. Why do you ask? What do you know Marcone?”

Marcone opened a small refrigerator and took out a mineral water, offered one to Harry then took a drink before saying, “I don’t have a lot but what I do have is a little disturbing for me in my business world and in the magical world, both.” He took another drink and continued, “I have been hearing about a new criminal enterprise that has been moving across the earth slowly but with a lot of power, both types.”

“It appears to have started about 15 years ago, maybe earlier. It came out of the middle east, possibly Syria and then across into the Balkans and through parts of Russia and into England and France. The regional Transnational Organized Crime Groups or TOCs have grown to new levels and some have reached very high levels of control, even though there was nothing there less than a few years ago.”

Harry thinks about this then says, “Nothing there and suddenly a crime element pops up and is doing strong business, isn’t that what these crime groups do John, move in and grow?”

Marcone sipped his water and said, “Yes, Dresden that is what they do. Some even do very well, but I am talking about all of them at the same time in the same areas with no inter-fighting. They all seemed to move into the area and suddenly they are all growing and equal in power, controlling everything in each of the places that I have mentioned as well as a few others.”

Harry thought about this and asked, “What is it that you feel is of a concern for me? I don’t normally get involved in the criminal system unless it is hurting a lot of innocent people. That is usually your backyard of activities.”

Marcone recapped his water bottle and said, “This is true, and I normally keep my business and you separate but these groups are getting a push from someone with a lot of power and as far as I can tell it is from a black magic source which now puts it in both our backyards.”

“Ok, you may be on to something, but all of this is happening overseas in Europe and the Middle East. What has you bringing this to me instead of the White Council?”

Marcone gave him a serious look and said, “It is no longer overseas in foreign countries, it has happened here in the United States, New York City.”

“Damn,” Harry said softly, then asked, “What about the Italian Mafia? Aren’t they supposed to be in control of New York, New Jersey and the rest of the East Coast area?”

Marcone replied, “Yes, as you know, there are 5 large strong families that control all of the Italian, Greek, German, Czech and Polish mob activities. The Russians, Chinese, Slovic mobs are in-charge of themselves but the 5 families keep a close eye on them.”

“Ok, there you go. What are they doing about these crime groups trying to invade their territories,” asked Harry?

“They are currently fighting for their very lives. These TOCs showed up and stared operating so the families sent people to meet with them and try to talk some sense to them but the people that were sent were all killed, and their heads were sent back in a shipping crate,” he said.

“The families got together to decide what needed to be done and who would do what. While they were meeting a force of over 300 men all armed with automatic weapons and swords attacked the building the meeting was held in and they started killing every person they saw. They just started at the front doors and started shooting and slashing everything that moved,” he said.

Harry, whispered, “Holy shit. How many escaped and who died?”

Marcone looked up and said, “The Pacolli family was hosting the meeting and almost every single man from the Don down to the lieutenants were at or in the building. Every one of them were killed, almost 125 men. The other families had only brought small escort teams, no more 30 men each. They were about 250 men in all. The Gambino and Tormontello and Bosinolli heads of family managed to get out alive, though Jimmy “Thumbs” Bosinolli had his hand cut off. They will live but “Big Bobby” Rosenelli lost half his right arm and most of his fingers from his left hand along with several deep slashes to his legs and chest area.”

Harry didn’t know what to say. He sat there with his mouth open and his eyes staring at Marcone. He softly asked, “Did you know any of the guys, personally?”

Marcone didn’t answer for a few seconds but then said, “I am friends with “Big Bobby” and Randall Gambino for many years. The others I knew and have worked with them in the past but not as friends. But that means that these TOCs are strong and have a lot of backing from someone. The reports from some of the survivors that were standing doors and elevators was they were suddenly there.”

Harry quickly asked, “What do you mean, “they were suddenly there”? There where and how did they get in?”

Marcone sat up straighter and said, “The doors to the 4th floor elevators all opened, and they were packed full of these guys. The same thing on the 1st, 3rd and 5th floors. The elevators opened on all 4 floors at the same time. The same for the front doors, the back door, all the stairwell doors and the 1st floor bathrooms. All the doors opened, and they started pouring out shooting and slashing with their swords.” 

Harry sat back and thought about what Marcone was saying. There had obviously been magic at work to make it possible to have 4 elevators in each shaft and to get people into them and throughout the building without being seen entering on their own. Whom ever did this had to be a very powerful wizard or someone who could manipulate the crossing from the Nevernever, but he didn’t know of anyone that good? He then said, “I will need to go to New York and check out this crime scene. Would you be able to get me in around the police?”

Marcone said, “I can take care of that and I also have a small office in the city that has a portal opening so you can cross over from the Nevernever and back quickly”

Harry smiled and said, “Of course you do. I will need to grab a few things and should be ready to go tonight after dinner. That should give me plenty of time to sniff around and see if I can find a trace of what was done and maybe who did it.”

Marcone the said, “I hope you can find something quickly because whomever it is has been reported in the Chicago area as of last Thursday. We need to find them and stop them.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Rowland found his way down to Chicago’s Chinatown. He had checked a few of the so-called magic shops around town but they were mostly for moral tricksters not real magic wielders. They didn’t carry any of the supplies that he needed so he headed to Chinatown. And walked around until he found the 1st of two shops that would need. He stopped outside the Royal Pawn Shop on S Clark St. it looked normal from the outside, but he knew differently. He turned on his Wizards-sight and found the door hidden in the block wall along the large front window. He stepped to the brick wall and pressed the illuminated bricks in the pattern that they flashed and when finished he stepped back to wait.

He watched as the wall silently slid backwards until the opening was large enough for him to pass. The wall then re-sealed itself and if nothing had happened. He walked down a short hallway and the down some stairs to a closed door. He opened the door and found himself in a huge room crammed full of shelves of jars and boxes full of different herbs and powders and lots of liquids. He walked the entire shop and found almost everything that he needed. After paying he asked about an address and the elderly man provided directions in Cantonese, which he spoke extremely well.

He left the pawn shop and turned west and followed the directions he had been given. After almost 20 minutes walking he was standing outside the Tin Yen restaurant at the opposite end of Wentworth Ave and Chinatown. It was a small 1 story building above ground, just plain simple with no real outstanding features. He brought up his sight and saw that the doorway was on the face wall of the abandoned building next door. Again, he stepped up and pressed several illuminated bricks and the waited for the door to open.

Once inside, the door closed, and he was standing on a steel grate floor used for fire staircases. He started down the stair and noticed that every few steps seemed to drop him several feet or more down toward the bottom. When he reached the bottom, he figured that he had climbed down 2 floors but by looking back up the stairwell it looked more like 10 stories. He was quite a way down and he even felt a chill from the very cool air.

As he proceeded into the shop, he realized that the chill he felt had been a threshold style barrier that prevented the use of magic and when he tried to force up a fireball in his hand, he felt an unbelievable crushing pain across his chest. They must have had problems here before and so they built in this barrier for protection. He would need to remember that the next time he came here. He walked the shop and found all of the remaining items that he wanted and a few extra items that caught his eye.

As he was finishing up and turning toward the cash register, he bumped into a short round man who was looking a raw Sage bushes. The man had just bent over to reach for a nice-looking bundle in the back of the large basket when he had been bumped and had been knocked into the basket along with the Sage bushes. The man screamed and fell face first into the basket. Rowland quickly stepped over to help the man up as did another man. He was very tall, wore blue jeans, a black t-shirt with an old faded concert logo on it and a long black leather duster over top of it all.

The tall man must have known the small guy because he said, “Hey, Morty, you ok?” They both grabbed ahold of Morty who was cussing and spitting about clumsy, rude people but as they started to pull him up out of the basket he stopped talking. By the time he was back on his feet he was just staring at everything, especially the dark man that had bump into him. He just looked at him while the man spoke and stuck out his hand, but he seemed frozen in place, but the tall man took his outstretched hand and shook it saying, “Hi my name is Harry. I don’t have a clue what happened to my friend, but I am sure that he realizes that it was just an accident.”

“Well, thank you. My name is Rowland and I am very new to this town. You know a strange man in a strange land, and all that,” he said. “Again, I am sorry, and I will try a little harder to watch where I step, but if you will excuse me, I really should be getting back home. Good day.” And he went through the cashier’s line and on his way.

Harry watched him go with a very uneasy feeling about him. He turned to Morty and said, “Are you alright Morty? What happen to you?”

Morty stood absolutely still and whispered, “Is he gone?”

Harry looked back over his shoulder and said, “Yeah, he gone. Why? Do you know that guy?”

Morty started shaking and sat down on an overturned bucket. He started rubbing his arms and top of his legs with his hand as to warm them up. Harry watched him and asked, “What is wrong Morty? Did you see something around that guy or feel something?”

“Harry, listen to me and be very careful, I mean it don’t do anything crazy, ok,” asked Morty?

Harry stepped back half a step while looking at him and said, “Ok, alright I will. Morty what is going on?”

Morty looked at him with the strangest look on his face and said, “Harry, when that guy touched me to help me up, I got a vision of his mind and it has got to be the deadest, darkest most dangerous mind I have ever seen. There were things in there that could possibly kill a normal man right where he stood. You promised that you would stay away from him.”

Harry was watching Morty as he put his shopping items on the counter and hurry out of the shop. Then he went over and picked up the old-fashioned rotary dial phone. He quickly dialed the number he had memorized. After 2 rings it was answered and Harry said, “I think I found our guy, the one helping these TOCs and you were correct, he is very powerful in the black.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Just a little more water and another candle should do it, thought Rowland. He had set up a summoning circle hoping to get some information before moving forward. He had plates of iron, red candles, bowls of water and of course a small box of Plutonium, he then closed the circle with a drop of his own blood. It closed with a clearly audible “click” and now was producing a slight hum for the power it was using.

He then disrobed and knelt on the floor. He picked up a small bundle or Sage, Rosemary and Wormwood and lit it using one of the candles. Then he bathed himself and the entire area in the smoke to calm the summoning area. He then set the still smoking bundle in a large ashtray and started chanting … 

“I call upon Marax to appear before me on this plane;   
I wish information that only you would have.  
Come before me and give me true and faithful answers,  
So that I may accomplish my desired task.”

After 3 loud and solid calls, he picked up the smoking bundle and again bathed the entire area in the smoke. After which, he replaced the bundle in the ashtray and called out loud and clear one last time.

At first nothing seemed to happen, then the summoning circle seemed to fill with smoke. Small bolts of lightning started flashing and then inside of the circle was clear of smoke and reveling a beautiful woman in an old fashion Greek Togo stand there. She smiled and said, “You are looking good. What name are you going by now?”

He stood and pulled his robe on and said, “Thank you for noticing and you are as beautiful as ever. I am called Rowland, at this time.”

Marax lightly touched the containment field and asked, “Am I to remain held like this for the duration?”

Rowland leaned forward and shifted his foot across the circle breaking the barrier saying, “Of course not, I just wanted to be careful this time. The last time you appeared there were wild banshee ghosts around you and 2 came across and caused a great number of headaches.”

Marax smile saying, “Yes, I remember having to deal with a very unpleasant witch at that time. Speaking of unpleasant dealings, this place is not a very wise place for you to stay. There is much danger here for you from many different advisories.”

“That is the reason I have called for you. I need to know what it is that I am facing here and the best way to defeat it. I have been told about a powerful wizard and a crime boss, but I need to know if they are the only ones or if there are more,” he said.

Marax smiled and said, “Is that not enough for you? Are you tempting fate?”

He looked at her and said, “No, I am not, but it would not be wise to venture about without knowing the dangers that could await me.”

Marax smiled again and said, “My advice would be to pack up your belongings and leave this town right away.”

He shook his head and said, “That is something I cannot do. I have business in this town, and I plan on running it, even if they try to kill me.”

Marax said, “Alright, if that is your wish but remember I did suggest you leave.” 

Rowland looked at her and asked, “Tell me about the different elements in this town and why you seem so adamant that I leave before something happens? Start with this Wizard Dresden?”

Marax looked serious and said, “If for nothing else, Wizard Dresden should be more than enough reason to leave. He has destroyed, killed and eliminated many more powerful persons of magic that anyone else on the White Council. He is Star Born, a son of Merlin. He is the child of Margret LeFay who happens to be the daughter of the Black Staff of the White Council. His father’s family are also of Fae blood of the Winter Court. His family is very, very old and very powerful. Also, he is currently the Winter Knight for Mab, the Winter Queen and he is the Warden of the magic island prison called Demonreach where hundreds if not thousands of evil doers or their soul have been locked up since almost the beginning of time. It is said that he is truly a son of Merlin. He is very dangerous.”

Rowland took all this in and then asked, “How is it he is all of that and more from what I have read yet I have not heard of him?”

Marax said, “He is not one of the “in” crowd and pretty much stays to himself. You should have heard of him from the annihilation of the entire Red Court and almost the entire Black Court vampires. But he is not the only one to watch out for, his allies are even more dangerous. The Black Staff is not only his grandfather but his magical mentor. Rather his 2nd, his first was Justine DuMorne, who he killed with magic when he was 16-years-old.”

Rowland said, “I remember him, he was on the Council and was twice as strong as anyone there?

Marax said, “He is friends with Odin, the Erlking, the Winter Maiden and both of the Queen Mother’s. He even defeated He Who Walks Behind shortly before he killed DuMorne. He is surprisingly powerful, and few truly know him. My best advice is to leave, not only Chicago but the entire mid-west area as he is the White Council Warden over this entire area.”

Marax continued, “Know also, that the crime Boss Gentleman John Marcone is very dangerous and powerful among the criminal organizations and should not be taken lightly. You should know that he is also knows as Baron Marcone and is the only non-magical full member of the Seelie Accords. He and Dresden have been known to work closely together when there has been problems effecting Chicago which they each refer to as “My Town”. Together they are extremely dangerous.”

After a few seconds, Rowland said, “Well, as I see it, Dresden is the most dangerous when he is with his allies, so the trick is to get him alone and take him out.”

Marax looked very surprised and said, “That is what you took away from my information. Get him alone? Ok then, will there be anything else that you would need from me?”

He thought that over and then said, “Yes, I will need a trust-worthy familiar please.”

Marax then asked, “Human or non-human?”

Rowland smiled and said, “Half-Orc, half-Minotaur should do the trick.”

Marax was a little surprised and said, “That is unusual but so be it. He will be with you by nightfall. Would you like your usual horde of Demon Satyrs”?

Rowland said, “Yes, they would be good. Thank you for the information and the assistant. That should be all. You may go, if you wish.”

Marax wasted no time at all vanishing in a puff of smoke back to her realm knowing that she would seeing Rowland again soon.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry was in his truck and headed for the BFS to get a more detailed briefing on the crazy little fantasy about the dark magic users trying to take over the world or at least Chicago. He parked off to the side and entered the building through a back door where he ran into Molly. They hugged and then headed up to the top floor to the meeting room where Marcone had almost a full room of folks, most not of the magic community but very interested to learn about this new threat to their territory and profits.

Harry found a couple chairs at the end of the table and he motioned Molly into them just in time to see Ms. Gard step in front of the table and start welcoming everyone to today’s briefing. She outlined the basic history, most of which Harry already knew but he listened to make sure he had it correctly and if something else hadn’t been added. He heard several new pieces of information which filled a few holes. No one asked questions and made any comments.

She outlined how these new groups had taken action in countries overseas and then how they had acted in New York City. She laid out what was a best guess action plan for the enemy based on their previous actions and finished stating their goal for these actions based on terrorism. When she finished, there was still no questions asked by anyone, so Harry kept quiet and waited to see where this all went.

After Ms. Gard left the end of the table, Marcone stepped up and looked around the table at each of his lieutenants, taking their measure. He then stepped a little to the side and slightly turned toward the front wall. The entire wall filled with the face of Rowland. It was recent because he looked pretty much just like he did when Harry had seen him this morning. Marcone stood not moving for almost 5 minutes before he said, “This is the face of our enemy, gentlemen remember it well.”

“I want you to remember it because I do not want any of you to try anything with him. Do not go after him. I do hope that every one of you heard that clearly. Do not go after this man, he is more dangerous then you could possibly imagine, and you will end up dead or worse. I already have plans in the works to take care of him and I don’t want to lose any of you in the process,” he said.

A very large man off to the side raised a couple fingers and then said, “Mr. Marcone, are you saying that we are to let them just come in and tear up our places and hurt our people?”

Marcone paused and said, “No, Bruno that is not what I want to happen. If they come into your establishments and try to cause problems, I fully expect you to protect yourself and your employees. Does everyone understand?” Everyone nodded their heads and mumbled yes.

Marcone continued, “What I don’t want to happen is anyone going out on their own thinking they can help the situation. Believe me, from what I have been able to learn, anything we do that is not administrated or conducted by this unit as a whole, will cause more problems. First, I understand that this is not open warfare where we have lines drawn and prisoner exchange because they don’t bother with any of that. They kill everyone that is not theirs.”

“We know what it is that they want, that is no surprise. What is a surprise is the vicious and murderous way they go about establishing their areas and conduct their business. They enter an area sweep out across the entire town setting up small teams that work through their areas killing all members of any other businesses. They then kill any of the new people sent in to replace the ones that they killed. In addition, they start killing the customers and their families. The word goes out that unless you buy from them, only, you could be killed along with your family.”

Marcone paused for a moment then continued with, “These people are not out to just sell drugs and make money, they are here to be the whole package. They will sell drugs by dropping the price so everyone can afford them, and they will even give it away for free if they need too to keep you hooked. They also run loan businesses where they provide money at low, low interest rates. They operate clothing and food closets for those that are having hard times. These are just a few things they do, along with classes and activities for children they win the hearts and souls of everyone in the area.”

“In addition to all the support, they get rid of the bad guys. They wipe out all the bad guys, putting a stop to crime. This is done on a large scale across the entire town. Then, once they have you completely, they start insisting you attend religious services as payback for all they have done. Everyone is pushed to attend and then the re-education starts.”

Marcone took a moment to let everyone get a grip on all this info. He took a few questions that basically qualified what he had already told everyone before continuing. “They now basically brainwash or completely convince the people to accept more of their way until it basically becomes the entire community lifestyle. While all of this is going on, the different organizations start laying down boundaries. The people are taught when and where they can and cannot go. They are all taught security measures and before long not only are they a closed owned neighborhood, but they are armed, trained and dangerous.”

Marcone finished and let everyone relax for a minute, talking amongst themselves until a man near the back side of the room asked, “If they turn everyone into followers, who do they sell drugs to and how do they make their money?”

Everyone went quiet looking at Marcone for this answer. “They only completely turn small areas of their designated area. The rest are brought in line through drugs, religious disciple and physical control methods. They get members of their in-groups to conduct and run the drugs in, out and around the city. They use them to setup their own transportation systems and their own security teams, as well as fully trained assault teams. Now, the rest of the people in the city are subject to their strong-arm tactics. They employ blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, smuggling, loansharking, robbery on small and large scales, forgery and even prostitution of male and female, young and old. They are very big in white-slavery and outright murder, too.”

Everyone started talking and asking questions which lasted for the next hour or so. Before heading out on their own business.


	4. 4

Chapter 4

Within a fold between dimensions sits a temple that was built strictly for the purpose of education and in this temple sits 2 skulls. One is an actual human skull about 4,000-years-old and covered in signs of magic and strength in several long dead languages. The other is made out of wood and is only about 3 or 4 years old and covered in many of the same symbols as on the first skull but in a more modern language.

Within the 2 skulls rest air spirits of intellect. They are little more than colored smoke with small sparkles of light, but they are spirits of very powerful wizards, one called Bonea about 4-years-old to match her skull. She is the intellectual, spiritual and emotional creation Wizard Harry Dresden and Lash, who sacrificed herself to save his life. The other of a wizard named Bob, that is a little over 9,000-years-old. They are not people, not really. They have no actual body or face or anything else that you can see or touch, but they are real persons, none the less.

Suddenly, Bonea the small greenish cloud with sparkles wakes up and is shaking from the vision she just dreamt. As a spirit of intellect neither she nor Bob actually sleep but they down reach a state of inactivity or thought, much like rest. She becomes extremely active and wakes up Bob. She explains her dream vision and Bob joins his power with hers and they reach out across time and space to contact someone very important.

“Dad, can you hear me? Dad, Dad, come on hear me. Harry, listen to me, Harry wake up.” After several tries, Bob says, “We are not strong enough to reach him, we need to reach someone else.

He changes his thought patterns and together they reach out and make contact with Amanda Carpenter, the latest Fateborn Person and explained what she had dreamt about. Amanda quickly uses her power to view the vision for herself, based the time and situation she realizes this is something that is really going to happen. She concentrates and reaches out touching every member, friend and associate of Malcolm Dresden’s family and bloodline. She then moved them to the grounds surrounding the Summer Castle.

This sudden move of all these fairy people and all of the magic power that was used to do caused quiet and stir throughout the Nevernever, especially the Summer Queen, as well as the people that were moved. The Summer Queen sends word that she demands a meeting with the Winter Queen and her Knight concerning some excessive use of power and moving of a large portion of her people within the kingdom boundaries without her permission.

\------------------------- -------------------------

South of Chicago Heights in the King’s Grove Forest around midnight, stood a single hooded individual waiting. At midnight the entire forest area was suddenly lit up as bright as day from the opening of a magical portal from which strode 2 very different beings. “Well, here I am. Right on time, what do you have for me,” asked Rowland as he and Daniera walked to the awaiting figure.

Marax said drily, “As you requested, I have brought you to this point so that you can crossover into the Nevernever closest to the area you need to travel to.”

Rowland looked rather bored and asked, “What do I have to look forward to as I cross through to the Royal Forest?”

Marax replied, “Actually, this area of the Nevernever is quite unoccupied, or at least that is what I have been able to find out. It is mostly long open rolling plains of long grass and wildflowers.”

Rowland said, “I will believe that when I see it. I have never known anywhere within that land of the fae to be simple or safe. OK then, I will need my familiar.”

She said, “He is waiting for you on the other side. I have provided him with the direction and other information you requested. I would like to ask a question?”

Rowland turned to face her and said, “Well, you have worked hard and gotten everything I have asked for, so I would say you are entitled to your questions. So, shoot.”

Marax asked, “Why are you going into the Nevernever after those that live in the Royal Forest? Who are they to you and why are you going after them? To kill them?”

Rowland stood thinking about what she had just asked and said, “I am following a trail that will lead me back to Dresden’s father’s family. I intend on whipping out his family, completely. I will take a few as subjects for study and explore the depth and abilities of their magic. That way I will be ready for anything wizard Dresden tries.”

She smiled and said, “That is a really solid plan but are you sure that it is the best plan. It seems that you are going out of your way the anger Dresden while seriously underestimating him. That alone has been the downfall of many powerful beings.”

Rowland now a little perturbed replied, “I am well aware of what I am doing? If you want to worry about someone, worry about Dresden. If you are finished, leave.” She smiled, bowed and blinked out of sight. 

He turned and headed back to where his portal had opened and raised his hands and started in a soft mumble slowly raising in tempo and volume until a small circle of light started to swirl in mid-air. It swirled and grew until it had was twice his height and 3 times his width. On the other side of the portal it was bright daylight and there was a huge beast standing in the middle of the field.

There stood a huge ugly dangerous beast, half-Orc and half-Minotaur, with the head and tail of a bull and the body of an enormous male Orc. His legs were thick as a tree trunk and he was covered in a shaggy coat of hair. He stood almost 9 feet tall and more muscled than ten men. He didn’t move or say a word, he just stood statue-like waiting. Rowland crossed over into the Nevernever and continued to walk until he was standing in front of it. Rowland asked, “What is your name?”

Without moving a muscle, he replied in a voice that sounded like a gravel truck, “I am called Yargon and I am here to serve you. I am told that you wish to go to the Royal Forest and to find members of the Basajaun, the Jentil, the Tartaro and the Shatans tribes. There are a few others, but they are not something that I feel I need to worry about. They are said to live it the southern part of the Royal Forest.”

Rowland smiled and said, “Yes, you are correct and well informed. I want to wipe them all out, but I need a couple of each of them to run some tests on and they must be alive.”

Yargon replied, “As you wish, my master. I feel that I should warn you that we are not enough for what you want to do. We will need assistance.”

Rowland smiled and said, “Yes we will, and I have already seen to that. We will have a small horde of Demon Satyrs by the time we reach the forest.”

Yargon scoffed and said, “They are a violent lot. They will work well for what you want but you will have to watch that they do not kill everything before you get your prizes.”

Rowland laughed and said, “Why do you think I have you along.” He then turned and headed in the direction of the Royal Forest.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry was just climbing out of the shower, running a towel briskly through his hair, when he hears a slight puff sound. As he turns around, he comes face-to-face with Cat Sith standing on the toilet. Harry screams and says, “Son-of-a-biscuit, Grimalkin, what in the hell are you doing in my bathroom?” He quickly wraps the towel around his waist, trying to cover his nakedness.

Cat Sith stands upright and says, “The Ruler of the Winter Court and Queen of the Air and Darkness has demanded your presence and has sent me along to ensure that you make haste.”

Before Harry can say another word, the door flies open, and Molly enters with an ice sword drawn and slicing through the air stopping tightly against Cat Sith’s throat. He smiles and says, “Greetings Winter Maiden, so good to finally meet you.”

She tightened the sword around his neck and said, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I very much don’t like people popping into my home with knocking or calling first. I think that an apology is in order Mr. Cat.”

He smiled and said, “I do believe you are correct, excuse my bad manners.” Then with a pop sound he was gone. Almost immediately, there was a knock at the door. As she walked to the door, Cat Sìth appeared just inside the door in the kitchen next to the island. She stopped suddenly and was joined by Harry now wearing his extra-large bathrobe and slippers. They both stood there looking at Cat Sìth as he said, “I do apologize for stopping by so early. I am here at the request of her Highness, Ruler of the Winter Court and Queen of the Air and Darkness. She has demanded your presence and has sent me along to ensure that you get this message and make all haste to get to her side.”

She looked sideways at Harry and the back to Cat Sìth saying, “Well, thank you and welcome to my home. Besides Winter Knight, can I get you anything?”

Cat Sìth smiled and said, “Thank you, gracious lady, but I am just fine. We are under a bit of a time crunch.”

Harry had already turned and headed back to his room. After a few minutes, he returned fully dressed and ready to go. He then grabbed his coat and staff and told Molly he would catch up with her later. He then followed Cat Sìth out the door and immediately through and open Way that took them to the front gate of the Queens home in the Nevernever. He followed Cat Sith into the building and through to the Queen’s receiving room where she was sitting on her throne, waiting.

As Cat Sìth bowed, Mab said, “it is about time, what took you so long?”

Cat Sìth replied, “My Queen, the need for social proclivities were required and your knight seems to enjoy living in the nude, when he is not doing his duty.”

Mab raised an eyebrow at this info and said, “That is surprising news since every time he has been offered the chance, he fights it. My Knight, explain this to me.”

Harry bowed and said, “Your Highness, I do not live my life in the nude, your errand boy popped into my house in my bathroom while I was taking a shower. And while we are on the subject, I do not want anything else popping into my home. My home is not part of my job and is a private place. No more surprises in my home.”

Mab signed and said, “It appears, my Knight, that you are not happy but are you seriously going to stand there and tell me what I can and cannot do? You do not decide what I will and will not do.” With that said, Harry was suddenly wrapped in a fist of ice and lifted from his feet high into the air. The ice seemed to crush in on him forcing the air from his lungs.

With a twist if his wrist, a bright white intense light started to glow and engulf his entire body. Once he was completely covered by the light, its intensity increased until nothing of Harry could be seen, even Mab had to shield her eyes for the light. After several painfully bright minutes, the light subsided, and Harry was standing as he was before, but the ice fist was gone.

Mab straightened herself in her seat and said, “It seems my Knight, that you have stronger powers than before. This delights me but understand I will not allow you to dictate my actions. For now, know that I will be watching you, but we first have a royal summons with the Summer Court.”

With Harry wondering what Mab was going to do to him, she transported all 3 to the viewing room of the Summer Court. Sitting on a beautiful all white throne, sat Titania in a beautiful flowing spring green dress. She did not look very happy but smiled and greeted Mab, “Greetings Mab, I am very happy that you responded so quickly.”

Mab nodded her head and replied, “And greetings to you Titania, maybe you can tell me why you thought you should summon me to be here before you.”

Titania said, “I have called for you because I need to know if you were the one that was using magic on my people and in my land without my knowledge?”

Mab stiffened and replied, “Are you accusing me of doing something within your kingdom that could possibly cause war between our people?”

Titania sat straighter in her seat and said, “I am asking you because it required a great amount of power to accomplish that which was done. I would like to know why?”

Both queens were in stand-off mode so Harry cleared his throat and bowed his head saying, “My Queen, if I may speak?” Mab relaxed a little and nodded her head in his direction. Harry turned to Titania and said, “Queen of Summer, please tell us of that which bothers you? What magic and where was it used? What people were harmed?”

Titania looked at him and then said, “The magic that was performed is that which I have never seen, but it was very powerful. It was used on the people inhabiting the Royal Forest. They were all picked up and removed to the area around my palace. I can think of no one else that may be strong enough to use that kind of magic.”

Mab smiled and said, “I guess then that I should be honored by your accusation, but I must be honest to your praise. I have not been using magic or ordered any magic used within your kingdom.”

Titania the said, “If it was not you, then who could it have been?”

Suddenly, as if to answer Titania’s question, the air started to swirl like a small tornado and then the air was full of sparkles. A bright light appeared and grew until it was a full portal and through it stepped a single figure. Before anyone else could speak, Mab demanded, “Who are you to appear without permission?”

For her answer, she received, “I am the Fateborn and I have come to provide answers to your current questions. I have no wish for anyone to be harmed so please understand that the use of any of your magic is not possible, for the time being. Of this I ask your forgiveness and understanding.”

Upon hearing this, both queens attempted to use their magic, and nothing happened. The look that crossed their faces was priceless, to Harry anyway. He watched as Amanda walked to the center of the floor between the 2 queens and stood waiting for what would next happen. Cat Sith bound toward her quick as lightning but was stopped short of her in midair. He was held for few seconds and then seemed to float to the floor and appeared to be asleep. 

Amanda turned to Mab and said, “Queen of Winter, your servant was brave but reckless. He is not harmed and will awake upon my departure.” She turned a little towards Titania and said, “I realized that my actions may have caused an issue early this morning and I thought it best if I came and explained to you what I had done and why.”

Amanda smiled and said, “Please understand that the magic of the Fateborn subdues most all magic, it is not my intention to insult or harm anyone, it just is what it is. Now, if I may explain, I received a message last night that those residing within the Royal Forest were in danger. There is a very powerful wizard that has intentions of killing everyone there except a few magic users that he intended to take as prisoners.”

Both queens appeared taken back and Titania quickly asked, “From whom did you hear of this attack and why did they not come to me? This is my kingdom and my people; I should have been told?”

Mab chimed in saying, “This is not your land, why would anyone expect you to take any action? Tell us who told you?”

Amanda smiled politely and said, “Time, Summer Queen, was an issue. I was contacted because the person didn’t have the power to reach out to anyone else. This person passed on the vision they had seen so that I had the correct information before acting. To answer your question Winter Queen as for why I acted, well the people of the Royal Forest are family to someone I care very much for. Based on all of this, I took action and would do it again. I care nothing about your rules or problems, I only care that right is right and that innocent people do not get harmed for any reason.”

Mab scoffed saying, “Wielding your power, caring nothing for those that you affect and justifying your actions after the fact; is this going to become the norm that we can expect, Fateborn?”

Amanda smiled even bigger and said, “Oh Winter Queen, you need not worry that I would copy your practices nor any other royal actions. It is not the way I operate. I simply wish to help those that deserve it. How you run you lands and handle your people, is your business, so please do not make it more that it truly is. Now, for those that would have lost their lives.” 

With that said, she waved her hand and suddenly a ball of fire appeared in the center of the room, it landed on the floor near Amanda where its flames grew high and outreaching. At their peak, they died away as if something had sucked them away and instead of a ball of fire, there now stood what looked like a normal man. He appeared to be around 45 years old with dark slightly ruffled hair with just a touch of gray hair at his temples, about 6'2" or 6'4" in height with a heavily muscled body. In appearance he looked like he could easily take care of himself.

He stepped over to Amanda, dropped to 1 knee and bowed his head saying, “I and my families people thank you for saving us. We are forever in your debt, my Lady Fateborn.” Once he had thanked her, he turned and stepped closer to Titania. He bowed his head and said, “My Queen, I and my people are thankful that we have been allowed to wait on the grounds around your beautiful home. We are hoping that we will be able to return to our forest within the next few days.”

Queen Titania sat quietly for a few seconds and then said, “As long as your people are safe and it is only for a few more days, you may remain. I will have my kitchen staff check with your people to see if they are in need of anything.”

Mab stood by watching all of this before saying, “How do you plan to see if the threat is gone and these people can return to their homes?”

Amanda looked at the queens and said, “Well Queen Mab, I had thought that your knight might be the best one to go and check out the forest to make sure the threat is gone, and these people will be able to return home.”

Mab looked like someone had just slapped her across the face. She sputtered and demanded, “Why would I send my knight into the Royal Forest, which is well within the land of Summer to check out this threat? Why for that matter would Titania allow this to happen at all?”

Titania smiled, a not so friendly smile, and said, “That is a very good question and I would like to hear the answer?”

At that moment, the man standing in front of Queen Titania spoke up, “It was I that asked if this could be possible, My Queen.”

Both queens turned to look at him and Titania asked, “I would like to know why you would think to ask someone from the outside to have the Winter Knight investigate an incident within the Summer lands? Who are you that you should ask this?”

The man stood tall and said, “I am Dwyar Fyerbran, Fire Lord and chief elder of the Sina-Mru people.” At this point, Dwyar raised his arms and a bright light flashed all around him and when the light died away, instead of a man there stood what looked like a cross between a giant Eagle or Hawk and a Raptor dinosaur. He stood almost 9-foot tall, covered with scales from the waist down, feathers and a lot of muscles. He also had a huge set of beautiful wings. While standing there you could see flames all around his entire body burning evenly and constantly. “My people are the Fire Lords, a clan of hunters and warriors. We have been the Defenders of Summer and Messengers of the realm for close to 2,000 years.”

Everyone had stepped back when Dwyar changed from human, except Amanda and Queen Titania. She said, “I am well aware of you and your people, though I have not had an occasion to meet with one in over 50 years and I have never seen one in human form. Still, this does not answer the question of why the Winter Knight?”

Dwyar replied, “My Queen you cannot have one without the other, I ask not for the Winter Knight but my kin within the knight’s armor. I am asking that my grandson, Harry Dresden, be sent to his ancestral home to aid his family, on his father’s side of course.” He then turned to Harry and said, “What say you, grandson?”

Harry stood feet rooted to the ground and his mouth was hanging slightly open. He had no idea what was happening or who this person was, but he had just claimed family ties before both queens in a very public manner. He then noticed Mab staring at him and when he looked back, he could see the darkness setting in her eyes.

Mab turned to Amanda and said, “I thought you said that no magic could be performed in your presence. This man just transformed with no difficulty.”

“What I had said, Queen of Winter, is that the magic of the Fateborn subdues most magic, not all. It appears that the magic of the Fire Lords is not affected,” said Amanda smiling.

Dwyar turned back into his human form and turned to Titania as she asked, “How is this human your grandson? His father was named Dresden?”

Dwyar smiled and said, “You remember correctly, my Queen. I have 172 children, 118 were sons, my youngest son, Resden, was a bit of a dreamer and a real rebel in his youth. He always thought that the Fae and the humans could live peacefully together. For many years, he would leave for months at a time to live among them and then come back home. He left home the last time almost 135 years ago and we never heard from him again.” 

Titania said, “You never heard from him, but you managed to keep tabs on him and his activities over the years. Why did you not contact or bring him home over the years?”

Dwyar smiled a sad smile and said, “My Queen, I love my children, all of them. I also respect their decisions about how they live their lives, but I also like to stay somewhat in the know as to how they are doing.”

Mab smirked and said, “Keep watch over their lives, really, it seems like you kind of missed when it came to your son’s life and getting killed by Justin DuMorne. What about when he tried to kill Harry, where were you? I didn’t see you or any of your people throughout his life. He has been watched over by the Winter Court, his fairy godmother, the Leanansidhe to be exact. I have even been there to aid him when he needed it most. Where were you?”

Harry spoke up, “Mab please, my father left for some reason so why he and his family were not close is their business. I thank you for being so protective and for all the help you have provided over the years to me, but these are my father’s people. Please allow me to handle this issue.”

Mab stood looking slightly wounded said, “I will allow you to work with those of Summer to discover the danger, if it is allowed by the Summer Queen.”

Titania spoke up with, “I will allow the Winter Knight to investigate but I will insist that the Summer Knight accompanies his every move while in my kingdom. I will have Fix meet you in the Royal Forest.”

Amanda smiled and said, “I am glad that this has worked out so well. I do apologize for overstepping my normal bounds but when lives are on the line, I will always do the right thing. Thank you all and I will now take my leave.” With that said, the air swirled like a sparkling tornado and then popped out of sight.”

Mab nodded her head and said, “Finally, good day to you all. Cat Sìth come with me.” Cat Sìth sat up as if he had just woken from a nap, he looked around slightly confused and then just popped out of sight.

Dwyar bowed his head and said, “Thank you my Queen. I will take my leave and get started on trying to discover the danger and report back to you what I find.” Before Harry could say anything, he was swept up in a swirling air and felt himself being moved to an area in the middle of a forest. The smell of pine and maple along with dirt and loom filled his senses.

Harry stood there looking around seeing trees and rocks, even a small stream. He turned around a saw Dwyar standing there watching him. Finally, he said, “Harry, we need to talk so why don’t we sit down along the stream and just talk.”


	5. 5

Chapter 5

On the far south side of the forest Rowland stood waiting for confirmation of what he already knew. He did not know how it had happened, but he know that someone had magically moved every being from this forest prior to his arrival. He had dispatched Yargon and a large group of the Satyrs to work they around to the northern side of the forest in case any had remained and hid there. He also had small groups searching in every direction trying to find anything that would tell him who or how this had been done.

He could feel the reside of the magic that had been used but when he reached out to grab it so he could trace it back to the user, it bucked against him like a bull in a rodeo strong enough that he was knocked to the ground the first time he tried. For several minutes after he felt drained of his magic.

This only enraged him, so he called for Marax to have her trace the magic but when she reached out for it, she started to vibrate and then exploded. After several tries and still unable to contact her, he realized that it had been the magic and it had destroyed Marax. He had no idea what he was up against, but he knew it had something to do with Dresden. He needed more information on him and hoped that Yargon or one of his Satyrs would find someone that he could study for those answers.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Yargon didn’t like Satyrs, they were a noisy bunch of goat-smelling pains in the ass. He would have rather just killed and ate a few but Rowland would not approve. He had never dealt with Demon Satyrs before, they are very different, they are almost twice their normal size and they have an evil glow to their eyes that appears to match their aggressive nature. They wear plated armor covering their backs, chest and leg haunches as protection. They have extremely more formidable horns, they are thicker, longer and sharper. They are stronger, faster and much more dangerous than regular satyrs because they show no fear and will fight to the death. They have no magic of their own but can use pre-made positions and spells.

They had been scouting around the edge of the forest and working their way north and then back toward the west. They were to reach to western edge and then fan out to search as they moved south. As they started to spread out and search towards the south, one of the scouts reported that they had found what appeared to be 2 human looking beings sitting along the stream just to the south of their position.

He quickly arranged the Satyrs into 3 groups and ordered them to spread out with one group heading around to the west side of the humans, another group to head out around to the east and the last group to stay with him and head south surrounding the humans.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry and Dwyar had been sitting along the stream for almost 2 hours and Harry had been listening to tales of his father’s family history and how they came to live within the Royal Forest. He was fascinated and thrilled to learn anything about his family because he had always thought of himself basically as an orphan growing up. 

So, it came as a huge surprise when Dwyar jumped to his feet and said, “We are under attack, make ready.” He jumped to his feet and suddenly felt danger all around them, but he could see the first attacking from the east. As he got himself ready, Dwyar suddenly flashed a bright light then appeared to be what Harry could only describe as a huge winged scale covered lion.

Dwyar had changed into a Manticore with a massive head of a lion-like beast with large sharp horns, fangs like those on a Saber-toothed Tiger and large pointy sharp ears. His body was that of a huge, muscular lion with a generous hairy mane around its neck and chest. His body was covered with scales like a dragon and he had extremely long and deadly sharp claws. His scale-plated tail was that of an enormous scorpion. On top of all were the huge black leather wings that were easily 20 feet across.

This started Harry and caused him to step back as the beast launched itself at the attackers, taking out several in his first strike. Harry then spotted more attackers coming from the west and some from the north. Harry summoned a huge amount of power and focused it at the western attackers saying, "Fuego!" A wall of fire shot out of his hand and into the front row of attackers, causing them to burst into flames and start thrashing around setting some of the others on fire as well.

Dwyar was on the ground battling the attackers and having little trouble killing anything that moved. After about 20 minutes of fighting the remaining attackers scrambled out of his reach and ran back the direction they had come.

Harry had just sent his 3rd fire wall into the western attackers when Dwyar had flew just over his head and into the attackers coming from the north. After realizing that he had killed most of the attackers and the few that remained were busy running for their lives, Harry turned to join Dwyar in dealing with those coming from the north.

Now that they were facing both Harry and the other being, the attackers quickly turned and ran back to the north. Leaving nothing but their dead in their wake. Yargon had been much farther back and had watched the short battle realized that Rowland had greatly underestimated both of these beings. He turned and headed back to report what had happened.

After several minutes, Harry stopped throwing fire and started examining the bodies of their attackers. A few minutes after, Dwyar stepped up beside him as he was checking the remains of one of the beings. Dwyar asked, “Have you ever seen one of these before?”

Harry replied without looking at him, “Yes, they are like Satyrs but much larger and are actual demons. Someone has made them like this and used them to attack us. They may have been the same ones that were going to attack your people.”

Dwyar looked at the dead Satyr and said, “That would make sense, but I have never seen anything like this one. We still do not know who or what is behind this attack.”

Harry stood and looked at him saying, “About that you are correct. Now, if you can, please tell me what the hell did you change into just before they attacked because you scared the hell out of me.”

Dwyar laughed a little and said, “I didn’t mean to scare you, it was meant more for those attacking us. As I have said, we are able to change from our actual forms into several others. Not all of us can and most that can change can only change into some small animals or humans but there are several that can change into almost anything we wish.”

Harry smiled and said, “That is awesome and amazing but what the hell did you turn into?”

Dwyar said, “That was an ancient Manticore from mythological stories.”

Harry was surprised and said, “I have never seen or heard of one. Were they a real animal?”

Dwyar smiled saying, “Oh yes, they were very real. I don’t think any are around anymore, but they started back around the time before the caveman existed. A few of our ancestors were around at that time too. We are an old people with a very rich history.”

Harry really didn’t know what to say to that. He just stood there looking at this man in complete wonder. Finally, he said, “You know, we really need to sit down with a few beers and talk and by that, I mean you talk, and I listen.”

Dwyar smiled big and clapped Harry on the shoulder saying, “That sounds like a fine way to get to know each other. I would like to bring my wife and couple others to your home to get to know your wife and children, if that would be alright with you.”

Harry smiled big and said, “That would be great with me and I am sure that my wife would be thrilled.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

“What the hell happened,” roared Rowland? “Where are the rest of my Satyrs?”

Yargon replied, “They were destroyed. The rest of us barely managed to get away.”

“Destroyed, by who,” he demanded?

Yargon stepped right up to him and said, “By the wizard Dresden and one other that turned into a huge beast. You greatly underestimated all of them and that cost you your small army.”

Rowland stepped back, turned and walked a few steps before turning back around and tossing a ball of blue lightning that hit and engulfed Yargon. He stepped back toward the struggling Yargon saying, “You are nothing, but a beast and you will not talk to me in such a manner.”

Yargon struggled and said, “I may be a beast, but I am no fool.” Rowland screamed in frustration and then moved his hands together in front of his body and the blue ball started shrinking until it was nothing but a pinpoint of light and then it blinked out.

He turned and waved his hands through the air and all of the Satyrs vanished as he said, “Come Daniera, we are leaving. I have plans that need to be worked on.” As Daniera joined him the air swirled around them and they disappeared without a trace.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Just as Harry and Dwyar were getting ready to leave Fix showed up. He explained that he had been finishing up a previous errand for the Queen when she ordered him to the Royal Forest. They each took turns explaining what had happened, walked him through the attack and helped him gather up a couple of the attacker’s bodies to take back to show the Queen of Summer. 

They talked about the attack and the original threat. Harry still didn’t know from where Amanda got the tip but said he would ask her for that info. During their walk through, Harry felt a wave of extremely strong magic, he and Dwyar exchanged glances but neither mentioned it, at the time.

Fix had been looking around when he stopped suddenly and asked, “Harry, do you feel that? Wow, feels like 2 strong forces, like walls pushing together right here.”

Harry knew what he was talking about but still stepped over to where he stood and felt the pressure. He then turned to Fix and said, “How are you able to detect that?”

Before Fix could say anything, Dwyar spoke up, “Over time while serving as the Summer Knight, the power of the mantle will change you. If you have little to no power it will cause you to develop low level powers but if you have even a little it will manifest that power into fairly strong powers.”

Fix smiled shyly and said, “That would explain a lot, lately. I have been feeling and doing weird things for the month or so. So, what is that pressure that I felt?”

Harry said, “That is the residue of used strong magic. I can tell you that with most magic residue you can reach out and touch it and get a reading of where it came from or possibly who had used it but with this trace, I would not try it.”

Fix looked at him and said, “Why? Are you hiding something?”

Harry felt the same old suspicion and sarcasm in his voice and even though he had gotten used to it he was still hurt by the accusation. Before he could say anything, Dwyar spoke up, “He is hiding nothing, Sir Knight. He is telling you this as a warning because it is a very old and extremely strong magic and would most likely kill you if you tried to touch it.”

Fix stood dead still looking at his feet looking as if he was about to say something when Dwyar again spoke up, “I would think that after all of this time and all of the help you have gotten from your friend, Harry Dresden, that you would mind your insolence and stupid Summer biased ideas. He has risked his own safety to help you when you truly needed it for almost 2 decades but in a matter of 5 words you have completely turned against him and questioned his integrity. I am ashamed of the Summer Court and your actions.”

With that said, Dwyar raised his arms and he and Harry disappeared in a flash of light leaving Fix standing alone in the forest to think about what he had done.


	6. 6

Chapter 6

Just as Harry became aware that he had been swept up in Dwyar’s magic he was standing outside the door to his apartment. He quickly looked around and realized that he was alone and wondered where Dwyar had gone. He could still hear the words ringing through the air as Dwyar chewed Fix out for questioning his actions. He felt bad for Fix because he doubted if he had ever been talked to like that in his life.

He also felt that Fix had deserved exactly what he had gotten. He wondered why he had to deal with this same reaction every time. He would start working with them, be accused of hiding something and then sometimes fight with them but then in the end they would see the truth, and everything would be good again. It was the same every time and if the truth be told, he was getting tired of it. It didn’t just happen with those belonging to the magic community, he ran into it almost more often when working with the non-magic mortals, especially the police.

He turned and went in the apartment thinking about all the bullshit he had to put up with because he was a wizard and decided to fight for the good guys. Though it really wasn’t just that, he was the Winter Knight and that alone comes with hundreds of years or more of bad reputations and violent dangerous actions. That is one very good reason for people to not trust him, like him or even want to spend any time around him.

He stepped inside the door and realized that it was late, the house was dark and quiet. He stood looking at what he had and realized that he was probably his own worst enemy. He had never really been a nice or joyful person to be around. After killing DuMorne and being associated with Black Magic, not many magic users are willing to trust him. Between that, his lack of willingness to work with anyone and smart-assed attitude very few were willing to be seen with or associated with him.

He grabbed a beer and sat down at the table to think. He had spent many years working alone, fighting alone and almost dying alone. Then he thought that alone was not the correct word, he had several friends and associates that have worked with him and still do, to this day. Many of them don’t give a crap about his bad reputation or that he killed DuMorne but they do care about him using Black Magic and truth be told he would rather have nothing to do with any Black Magic.

He knew that using Black Magic ate at your sole, slowing replacing it with the Black. You enjoyed to power and the growing strength you felt but then one day you have no soul just a black replacement that controlled you forever. He sat there think about those thoughts and wondering, he felt a strange yet familiar tingle in his mind. He relaxed his mind and fell into a drowsy state and felt himself being pulled along a magical path until he found himself standing next to a ceremonial stand with 2 carved and marked up skulls.

Harry looks around and sees 2 smoke clouds hanging in the air. One dropped to the floor and Bob appeared in a flash, the other slowly dropped toward the floor and about 3-4” before touching a small swirl and flash showed a little girl about 10-years-old. She was wearing a light green summer dress and had her bright blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail. She quickly ran over and jumped into Harry’s arms. She landed softly and was lighter than air. “Daddy, I have missed you. Where have you been?” She hugged him as tightly as she could, Harry reached up hugged her back. After a few minutes, she slid right down to the floor. 

Harry stepped over to a chair and sat down and she hopped up on his lap. “Hi yourself, pumpkin. What’s going on? Did you call me or was that you Bob,” asked Harry?

Bob shook his head and pointed at Bonea who said, “It was all me, Daddy. I called for you and uncle Bob helped me with a little power. We called you the other night, but you didn’t hear me, and I was scared. I called Amanda and she talked to me and looked at my vision and said she would take care of it, did she?”

Harry smiled, “Yes, she did take care of it. Everyone is safe, thank you. Tell me about your vision, can you?”

Bonea smiled really big and said, “Sure Daddy, do you want to see the vision I had?”

Harry was a little surprised and said, “Sure, if you can that would be great.”

Without a hesitation, Bonea raised her hand and touched the side of his head and his mind was suddenly flooded with the vision his daughter received. It only took a few minutes, but Harry could clearly see Yargon, Daniera and Rowland, who he recognized immediately. He watched the attack start and watched as the Demon Satyrs attacked and killed everyone they came near. The vision came to an end and he looked at Bonea and smiled saying, “Thank you so much. You don’t know how important saving these people was to me. I love you, pumpkin.” He hugged her as tightly as he could.

Bonea giggled and hugged Harry in return and asked, “Why do you call me a pumpkin? I am not orange or round.”

He smiled and said, “I know that, silly. It is a term of endearment. It is a silly nickname or pet name that some parents use to add a little more love and tenderness to their interaction. Is it ok with you?”

Bonea looked like she was thinking and then she smiled really big and hugged his neck again saying, “Yes, Daddy it is ok. I like being your pumpkin.” She kissed his cheek and snuggled up in his lap.

Bob spoke up saying, “We have been studying world history and have almost gotten to today. She is an exceptional student, but I believe she already has all this knowledge within her memory from Lash, or should I say Lasciel. It appears that she has several thousands of years of knowledge that will come to her when she needs it.”

Harry was gently rocking her and asked, “What about magic, will she have the same type of access to that level of magic too?”

Bob said, “Yes, I’m afraid that it does.”

Bonea raised her head and said, “Did you know that Bob has another name he doesn’t use anymore?”

Harry smiled and said, “No, I didn’t know. Do you know what it is?”

She smiled and said, “Yes I do, it is Jyotshi Dubey which means astrologer and teacher. It is a really old name but like the short name which is Joshi.”

Harry studied her for a few seconds and then turned to Bob and gave him a puzzled look saying, “What is she talking about?”

Bob looked a little funny as he said, “She appears to have a lot of memories and one of them is from when I first met Lasciel. I went by the name Jyotshi Dubey, I was a teacher and fairly well-known astrologer for the time. That was why Lasciel came to find me.”

Harry asked, “What time was this? It had to be a long time ago because you had to be corporeal, right?”

Bob smiled and said, “It was about 6,00-years-ago or close to it.”

Harry just looked at him and said, “You never cease to amaze me Bob or should it be Joshi?”

“Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, how would you like to hear that every time I speak to you,” snapped Bob?

Harry smiled and said, “Ok, ok Bob it is.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Rowland was mad as hell, mostly because his headache would not go away, but he also did not like being talked down to or questioned by those he considered of lesser importance than himself, which included most everyone.

He needed another assistant and maybe this time it would not talk, he would just read its mind when he needed information from it. He went to the spare room and started laying out the items he would need to call forth Marax and get some more help and info. He laid it out and chanted for her and within a minute she appeared.

“Greeting Rowland, what can I do for you this evening,” she asked?

He ordered, “I need another assistant but this time one that doesn’t talk.”

Marax asked, “What happened to Yargon?”

“Like I said, this time one that doesn’t talk,” he said.

Marax was not happy but asked, “What abilities would you like it to have? Do you fire? Or teleportation? If I know more of what you want the better the creature you will get.”

Rowland gave that a moments worth of thought and said, “I would like it to be able to throw fire in a stream or in ball shape. I would also like it to be able to blow up a building.”

Marax smiled and said, “I will get Kalshazzak, he is the toad demon and he shoots fire and acid and is extremely difficult to stop, even for the wizard Dresden. He doesn’t speak but can provide information telepathically.”

Rowland smiled and said, “Perfect, I want him. When can he be here?”

Marax said, “For you to be his master, you will need to summon him. He will only obey the that calls him. Here is the spell you need to summon him. Is there anything else?”

Rowland took the spell she handed him and scowled saying, “No, you have done enough.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry is floating along the magical path when something gives him a kiss. Not a normal kiss on the forehead or the lips but on the side of his face.

“There, they did it again,” he claimed. The entire side of his face was wet and slimy feeling.

Suddenly he hears a banging sound, like pounding on wood but not breaking it. Then he feels another big wet kiss drag across his face and then a load bark sound almost next to his ear. Harry wakes up to find Mouse standing next to him breathing doggy breath in his face and barking in his ear.

He puts his hand on Mouse’s head and pushes him back saying, “Alright all ready, I’m awake, back off.”

Then he heard load knocking on the door. He got up, crossed the room to the door and opened it to find Hendricks covered in cuts and slashes, all of them bleeding. In his arms he is carrying Ms. Gard who is also bleeding heavily from her own cuts and slashes. Harry opened the door wide and said, “Good grief, what happened to you? Bring her in quickly?”

Hendricks carried her to the couch and laid her on her back as gently as he could. He then turned to Harry and said, “We were heading on an errand for Mr. Marcone when we were attacked by what Sig said were some type of Satyrs, but they looked darker and more evil, like some kind of demon. There was a pack of them that seemed to come out of nowhere and behind them I saw a real big tall guy, but he just stood back and watch, probably directing them. We fought as best we could, but we weren’t prepared for an attack like this.”

Harry had brought a large bowl and some towels to the couch and was wiping her face and some of the cuts. He said, “How did you end up here?”

Hendricks was using a wet towel to lean himself said, “After we crashed the car, we realized that we weren’t but half a mile from here, so we run and fought our way here, hoping to be safe for a little while. Sig was hit in the head by one of their clubs and I had to carry her. Is she going to be ok?”

Just then Molly came around the corner and saw Hendricks all beat up and then spotted Ms. Gard bleeding on the couch. She quickly went to find the first-aid kit and returned to help clean her up and cover her wounds. Harry asked if she could tell if the club to the head had done any real damage. She put her hands on her head and closed her eyes and was quiet for about 2 minutes. She then opened her eyes and said, “She is not brain damaged or hurt really bad, but she did take a hard hit to the head and will need to stay down for a few hours.

Harry helped Hendricks remove his coat and shirt so they could tend to his wounds. After several minutes Molly sat down at the table with both men, Hendricks was covered in gauze and bandage tape. She had brought them glasses of iced tea and Hendricks was telling Harry everything he could remember about the attack.

Just then the phone rang, and Moly answered it and then handed it to Harry, it was John Marcone. He asked what had happened, how he was involved and how were his people?

Harry answered him on most of his questions but gave to phone to Hendricks to answer the rest after which the phone was handed back to Harry and he told Marcone, “They are safe here and can stay until they are able to travel and had the means to travel safely back to him, but we need to talk.” Marcone agreed and thanked him, then hung up.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Rowland was waiting when Kalshazzak returned and he walked up and stood in front of Roland. They connected telepathically and Rowland was very pleased with what had happened. He had hoped that one or even both would have been killed but since Marcone was not in the car at the time this was just fine.

He passed to Kalshazzak, “You have done well, go and rest now. I will have more for you soon enough.”

He was very pleased with himself because he was going to wind them both up and watch them trip over themselves trying to find him. He still felt that taking out Dresden was the best chance of defeating them both but if the opportunity arose where he could eliminate Marcone first, so be it. As long as they both died, he really didn’t care who went first.


	7. 7

Chapter 7

Ms. Gard woke up about 2 hours after arriving and felt well enough to travel, as long as she didn’t have to walk or carry anything. Marcone had sent an armored car with two chase/escort vehicles to pick up Hendricks and Ms. Gard. Harry hitched a ride to meet with Marcone and get some more information, if it was available or to discuss their next step.

After they arrived at the BFS and got Ms. Gard settled with Hendricks fluttering around her like a honeybee after a flower, Marcone and Harry sat in his office reviewing what they had on this Rowland and what they knew about the 2 different attacks.

Marcone stated, “It is quite obvious that the attack on your family in the Royal Forest was a deliberate attack at you or at least to get your attention and I feel that the attack on Ms. Gard and Hendricks was actually meant for me. I think it is time that we came up with a plan to start returning these attacks to this Rowland character, don’t you?”

Harry was listening and agreeing to everything Marcone was saying, but he said, “I have not yet been able to get a grasp on his power or the nature of his magic.”

Marcone replied, “He is a black wizard that is using black magic, what else do you need to know.”

Harry was a little surprised at this and said, “Well, I first need to know the origin because not all black magic stems from the same magic pool. If I try certain spells, it could backfire and cause me or more damage or it could do nothing more than a pellet gun shooting at your armored car.”

Marcone seemed to understand this and asked, “What do you need to do this? Is there something that I can help with or is this one of those magic only things?”

Harry smiled and said, “I am afraid that I am on my own. It’s a magic thing.” Then he paused and said, “You said he was in New York before here, right?”

Marcone said, “Yes he was. Why?”

Harry smiled and said, “Looks like I have to go to New York.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry got a hold of Molly and had her met him at her apartment. He explained why He had to go to New York and why he needed her to go with him. She was excited about going to New York because she had never been there before and the fact that Harry needed her type of magic. So, she packed a light bag and grabbed a few magic supplies she would need. They traveled by the Ways through the Nevernever. Since Harry had gotten ahold of the ruby that fit in his necklace charm, he had no more trouble traveling by the Ways because within the ruby his mother had stored all the knowledge she had gained about the Ways.

Hidden in Central Park's Ramble District is a troublesome cave buried beneath the surface, just below the 79th St. Traverse, lies a heavily wooded area, interwoven with narrow, winding trails, and dotted with large granite boulders. Though it was intended to be an oasis away from the city, The Ramble Cave unfortunately became a site for frequent crimes in Central Park over the centuries. This is where the last Way open for them.

With a flick of his wrist the lock hanging on the large chain popped open and dropped to the ground. Molly threw up an illusion that looked like the front of the cave and the large boulders were completely undisturbed. They stepped out of the cave, Harry relocked the chain and padlock and Molly held her illusion until she was sure that no one saw them and then she dropped it. They simply looked like 2 ordinary people walking through Central Park.

Molly asked, “Where are we going? Do you know or at least have the address?”

Harry pulled out a business card for Marcone’s place in New York City and said, “looks like we will be staying at The Excelsior Hotel, 45 W 81st St. according to Marcone, it is just up 81st about 3 blocks from the park gate.” 

Molly smiled and said, “Well then, don’t just stand there let’s get moving. I can smell room service in my future, and maybe a massage.” With that said, she was off, walking like a person that was determined to get where they were going.

About 30 minutes later they walked in the front door of The Excelsior Hotel and it did not disappoint Molly’s expectations in the least. There was old polished mahogany everywhere, the walls, stairway, handrails and administration desk. The floor and the stair steps were a bright Italian marble. The window drapes were satin, and everything seemed to glow. Everything within the Lobby said elegance and comfort with an Art Deco contemporary design.

They checked in and were taken to one of the executive suites on the 25th floor, one floor from the top. It was a large suite with a huge living room area, a kitchenette and 2-bedroom suites with their own luxurious spa-like bathrooms. The first thing Moly did was lock herself in her bedroom and then move into the shower. She made herself at home and didn’t come out for almost 2-hours.

Harry knocked on her door and asked if she was hungry. She asked if he would order her a California Club sandwich (it came with avocado). Harry ordered the club and a steak sandwich with a couple Cokes and a micro-brew. Harry washed up and returned to the living room just as there was a knock at the door. Before he could ask who it was he heard them say room service and then the door exploded in thousands of splinters throwing Harry across the room.

Through the door came a couple dozen Demon Orcs, they were pasty white all over and covered with black spots, more like smudges. They had long pointy ears, were covered with long wiry hair on their heads, upper shoulders and down along their arms. They had long razor-sharp teeth and a real nasty attitude. They rushed through the door like a swarm of locust.

Harry jumped up and ran into Molly’s bedroom, blocking the door behind him. Molly had just come out of the bathroom with her hair still wet, she saw Harry blocking the door and yelled, “What the hell is going on?” Just as pieces of the bedroom doors broke off as the Orcs began smashing the door.

Harry yelled, “Check the window ledge. See if we can get out that way.”

Molly run over, jerked open the window and looked straight down for 25 stories. She turned to Harry and said, “Hurry over here, quickly.”

Harry turned to Molly just as the doors broke open and the Orcs came rushing in. Molly grabbed Harry tight in her arms, closed her eyes and wished to be out of there.” In a flash of brilliant light, Molly and Harry vanished right before the Orcs.

After they vanished, the Orcs started tearing the rooms apart looking for them and when they figured out that they were not there, they fled the room and hotel before law enforcement arrived.

Almost instantly, Molly and Harry appeared on the roof top of the building across the street from their hotel room. Molly looked around not sure where they were. She looked at Harry and then collapsed into his arms.

Harry looked around and then at Molly just in time to catch her. He said, “How the hell did you do that, Molly?” Harry lifted Molly in his arms, and he headed into the roof top door into the building on which they stood. He continued down the stairs until he reached the 2nd floor. He kicked open the door of an empty room and laid Molly on the bed. He locked the door, checked out the window and then checked Molly. She seemed to simply be asleep.

Harry wrote a note so if Molly woke up, she would know where he is. He then left the room and went to the lobby and registered in the room where Molly slept. He then ordered room service for them and returned to the room. Molly was still out, so he got a wet washcloth and washed her face, hoping it would cool her off a little.

There was a knock at the door and a call of “Room Service”. Harry moved quickly to the door. Looked out through the peephole and saw that it was the hotel waiter with a rolling tray. He opened the door, let him in and signed for the food. He gave a decent tip and locked the door after him. He checked the food and sat down to eat his sandwich.

The smell of the food must have been enough because Molly slowly woke up. After a few moments, she was sitting up and digging into her sandwich. They ate in silence which didn’t last long, and when they were finished Harry asked, “How did you teleport us like that? When did you learn and how does it work?”

Molly smiled shyly and said, “I don’t really know how, exactly.” She hesitated a few seconds the said, “I have been reading a lot of very old magic books and I have been practicing some of the old spells about teleportation and transfiguration. They are hard to process and to remember.”

Harry smiled and said, “Well, it looks like you remembered something of it and just in time.”

Molly smiled and replied, “I guess you’re right. Man am I glad it worked because I was scared shitless.”

Harry put his hand on her shoulder and said, “I have always known that if you make up your mind to do something you do it. Failure is not in your vocabulary, thank you.”

Molly asked, “Who were they and why did they attack us? How the hell did they know where we were?”

Harry thought for a few seconds and then said, “I’m not sure but I have an idea. I need to go over and check around that hotel room and around the hotel for any evidence of who might have sent them.”

Molly went to the window and looked out at the cop cars lined in front of the hotel across the street. She turned to Harry and said, “We can’t go right now because the cops are everywhere.”

Harry said, “That’s alright, for now because we need to go check a few other areas before checking that room. I have an old wizard friend of Ebenezer that I need to talk to, which is why we came here in the first place.”

“Ok, so when do we leave,” she asked?

\------------------------- -------------------------

“What the hell happened? Why didn’t you kill him,” demanded Rowland?

“There were 2 of them in the room and one was a female. She must have been a witch because as the demons closed in on them, they disappeared,” he thought to answer Rowland. “No one said anything about a witch.”

Rowland looked him over and said, “I had no idea about a witch. All I knew about was the wizard. What did she look like, this witch?”

He thought, “She was white skinned, young, maybe 27-30 years-old, and tall almost 6-foot tall. Her hair is mostly blonde, with blue and pink stripes.”

Rowland was quiet for a few seconds and then said, “Sounds like the wizards apprentice but nothing is known about her having that kind of power. It would appear that the wizard is not the only one that little information is available about.”

Rowland started pacing back and forth, thinking about what he has learn about this wizard and some of those that help him. He didn’t know what else was to come but he knew that the most important thing was to get Dresden alone. He wasn’t known to be that powerful by himself. He turned to Kalshazzak and said, “I need time to think about my next move. Don’t go far because I will need you, soon.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry made a few calls and then finally called his grandfather, Ebenezer for help. After a long conversation and promises not to cause any more trouble, Ebenezer agreed to contact Martha Liberty on his behalf and made him promise not to get her involved in any of his trouble, she doesn’t need that and truth be told, neither do you.

Martha Liberty is an African American wizard and Senior Council member. She is an extremely tall black woman with gray hair and a stern manner, who dislikes being addressed as "Matty," and tends to address others very formally. Her age is unknown, and she apparently lives with some of her descendants (who knew about her being a wizard) whom she vets for wizard potential.

Her people are originally from Tanzania, Africa where she still maintains her ancestral home on the Butimba Peninsula overlooking Lake Victoria in the Nya Magana District. She spends most of her time in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City not far from the Tanzanian Embassy.

Initially she was against Harry, calling him "arrogant, dangerous" and citing his lack of respect for the White Council. Yet, after hearing Ebenezer’s defense and noting that Harry has his mother's eyes, she agrees to support him.

They were to meet at a place called “O’Kane’s”, it sits at the northeast corner of W57th St and 10th Ave next to the restaurant called “Jin”. Harry and Molly arrived a little early and found the place very familiar. It had a large old solid wooden door that led down 2 flights of stairs to an old earthy bar room that smelled of light musty old wood, cigar smoke and beer. It was a little dark and it had a wooden bar shelf that ran all the way around the bar with 13 stools set along the shelf. In the middle of the room, there were 13 heavy wooden tables with 4 solid wooden chairs.

Thirteen wooden posts holding up the bar shelf and each with a different elaborately carved scene out of Old-World fairy tales, there are thirteen ceiling fans overhead. The entire place is designed to diffuse and refract random magical energies. The pub entirely lacks in modern electronic amenities, such as TV or electronic games.

As he walked through the door into the pub, he noticed a familiar wooden hand carved sign on the wall which stated that, “O’Kane's pub is declared official neutral territory under the Unseelie Accords. All are welcome but leave your politics and attitude outside.”

Behind the bar stood an older woman, maybe 50-55 years old with salt and pepper colored hair. She looked strong and stood straight and proud with the look of age an experience in her eyes which twinkled with mischievousness. Her name was Kathrine O’Kane and she owned the bar.

She looked up at Harry and asked, “What will it be?”

Harry started to ask for a beer when Molly asked, “Do you have any local microbrews?”

She reached under the bar and brought out 2 brown flip-top bottles and slid them across the bar. She then asked, “Anything to eat, 2 steak sandwiches?”

Harry was almost too surprised to answer but he said, “Yes, that would be great, thanks.” He grabbed the bottles and they headed to a table near the back. They sat down and Harry took a drink and said, “Oh, my god. This is the best beer I have ever drank, even better than Mac’s and that is saying a lot.”

They sat drinking their beer when the bartender said, “Food’s up. Another beer?” She slid the sandwich plates across the bar.

Molly moved to the bar and said, “Thanks, and can we get 2 more beers, please?” she then dropped the sandwiches off at the table and returned to the bar just in time for the beers. She asked, “What is your name, what should we call you?”

She looked at Molly and said, Name is O’Kane, but call me Kate.” She turned and started wiping down the bar.

Molly then asked, “Kate, do you brew your own beer and cook the food using just a wood-burning stove?”

Kate turned and smiled at her but didn’t say a word, she just nodded her head “Yes” and went back to her wiping down the bar.

Molly sat down, put the beers on the table and pulled her sandwich over then said, “Does this place remind you of McAnally’s?”

“Yeah, actually it does. This steak sandwich is the best I ever had,” said Harry around a mouthful of his sandwich. As they finished their sandwiches the door opened, and a tall black woman glided in and crossed to their table. She eased into an open chair and sat down without a word.

Harry sat up straight, wiped his mouth and said, “Good to see you, Councilwoman Liberty and thank you for coming to see us.”

“Councilman McCoy said that you were needing help regarding someone using Black Magic,” she said.

Just then, Kate set a glass of dark thick wine on the table in front of her and said, “Your usual, Martha.” Kate didn’t wait for an answer, she just went back behind the bar.

Harry took his time and explained everything to her about Rowland and his organizations, their missions and goals. He explained about the attacks that have been happening and the levels of black magic he had detected. He asked, “Have you felt or sensed any Black Magic in the New York area?”

Martha took a sip from her glass and it left a dark stain on her lips. She then said, “At first, I would get little tingles but not enough to trace or examine but over time I began feeling a much stronger presence, almost like a push but only a little at a time. Recently, that pressure has let up until I don’t feel it anymore.”

Harry was quiet as she spoke, listening to everything she said. He then asked, “When did you first feel the tingles, do you remember?”

Martha looked at him and said, “I remember the first tingle was about 4 years ago. I was at my great grand daughter’s birthday party.”

“Did you ever follow up on the feeling to see why or where it came from,” he asked?

“Why no young wizard, I never thought of that,” she snapped sarcastically. Then she said, “Of course I followed it and found several areas that gave off a strong presence but never saw anyone using it nor ever felt it being used around me, just the left-over pressure.”

Harry was a little taken back at her comment but then realized that he had been wrong, so he said, “Councilwoman Liberty, please except my apology for speaking to you in such a manner. I was wrong and let my arrogance guide my words. Please forgive me.”

She looked at him and said, “Youth is always in a hurry and easily forget their manners, very well, you are forgiven.”

Harry smiled and said, “In my haste to find out more about this Black Wizard, I get a little pushy. Would you be able to make a list of some of the places you believe this wizard had been? I would like to see if the magic residual is the same as what I have found in Chicago?”

She smiled and nodded her head before saying, “You remind me of your grandfather, Ebenezer. He was the exact same way when he was onto something. Much like a bull in a china shop.” Then she laughed a soft but full laugh which sounded beautiful. She pulled a sheet of paper from inside be small coin purse and handed it to him.

As Harry looked it over, she said, “I was able to track strong residual magic at each of these places. As you can see there were locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Central Brooklyn, Manhattan, Harlem, Chinatown, Britton Beach and right here in Hell’s Kitchen.”

Molly was looking at the list and asked, “What do these numbers represent next to each area?”

Those are the rankings given by law enforcement as the heaviest crime areas within the city:   
Britton Beach (3), Bronx, (1), Brooklyn (7), Central Brooklyn (8), Chinatown (6), Harlem (4),   
Hell’s Kitchen (5), Manhattan (2).

Harry had been studying the list and knew that these had to be areas where Rowland had set up his TOCs and they were working overtime to get things under control. He then asked, “Were you aware of the attack on the 5 Mafia families?”

She smiled and said, “Yes, everyone within 2000 miles heard about that. They met at the Triangle Civic Improvement Association on Sullivan Street in Manhattan. It was known as the most impregnable and defendable Mafia stronghold in the country, but the mob referred to it as a social club.”

Molly said, “I thought they met in a hotel.”

Martha smiled and replied, “The social club included the 4-story hotel above it. The official status of the building was an Upper East Side townhouse, just off Park Avenue, located at 67 East 77th Street. They had a hidden entrance from inside a back storeroom in the club downstairs. They also had several underground exits so that they could come and go privately, whenever they wanted.”

Harry asked, “Did you get a chance to check out the hotel or club for any Black Magic usage?”

“I went down there and nosed around a little but didn’t get into the building. I was able to determine that the same residue was present at the hotel and club as was at all of the sites on your list,” she said.

Harry smiled knowing that Martha was very good at investigating magic incidents. He asked, “Do you have any contacts within the police department that could might provide you with a copy of the incident and coroners reports?”

Just as he finished saying the words, she reached into her little change purse and pulled out a couple dozen police files. She handed him the stack and then pulled out 2 more about the same size. When she finished there were about 200 files sitting on the table. Molly whistled and said, “Damn, I got to get me a little purse like that one.”

Martha smiled and then handed her the purse saying, “You are a delightful young woman. Please take this as I don’t usually have a purpose for it, and I think you may need it more than I.”

Molly was shocked and smiled really big saying, “Thank you so very much. Thank you, madam Councilwoman Liberty.” 

They sat and talked about the reports, the crime scenes from the pictures in the files and the feeling of the magic residue at each location. Harry had drunk 3 more of Kate’s beer and Molly had almost 2 more bottles before they called it a night. Harry thanked Martha for all of her help and said that he would make sure to send her a copy of his completed report.

Martha left just as silently and gracefully as she had arrived. Before leaving she had helped them put the files back in the little purse and Harry stuck it in his pocket. Harry was a little lightheaded and had to hold Molly up as they walked back to their hotel. It was only around 09:30 pm when they found their room and were asleep as soon as they flopped on their beds.

Somewhere around 01:15 am, Molly woke to the call of nature, she was still a bit drunk and was staggering toward her bathroom. She had to fight of falling asleep while sitting on the toilet. After she finished and headed back to her bed, she was a little more awake and noticed a low thick dark fog or smoke completely covering her bedroom floor. She stopped and reached out with her senses and felt something old, strong and deadly.

She stopped moving and was afraid to make any movement or noise to contact Harry. She felt how dangerous this was but had no idea what it was. She reached inside and tapped into her connection with Harry and screamed at him. He almost jumped out of his bed when she did. She quickly told him not to move and he stopped dead still. She quickly told him everything she knew, which wasn’t much and asked him to reach out himself.

Harry slowly brought up his senses and probed the smoke, he immediately felt the danger and anger. It was old, thousands of years old, very strong and very intelligent. He had never felt anything like this before, the pain and anger were so deep, they were overpowering. Harry eased off the bed and slowly walked toward the door. He opened them and stepped into the living room where the main consciousness of the beast waited. It was made up of blackish gray smoke and red-hot coals and ash. Harry turned his mental connection toward the monster and tried to talk to it but all he got back was growls, howls and screams.

Harry was lost as to what he needed to do because he had no idea what he was up against. He knew that he and Molly needed help, so he turned his attention to his grandfather but after several attempts Ebenezer was nowhere to be found. He was now scared and had no idea what to do next and the smoke monster was starting to get restless. He turned his mental abilities trying to get a hold of Mab but couldn’t connect.

The monster seemed to know that he was helpless and took advantage of that by grabbing up both Molly and him. Harry tried blasting it with fire but all he did was piss off the monster and set the couch on fire. Molly tried to veil herself, but it held her tight. Harry was struggling to try to get free but couldn’t get the beast to let him loose. The monster was crushing him and Molly, she hadn’t made any noise for the last 5 minutes and he was starting to see black.

Just before he faded completely out, the window shattered and in flew what could only be described as a winged lion demon completely covered in scales. It had a long-spiked tail that was spear-tipped. It had huge spikes down the spine and huge claws approx. 6 inches long. The eyes were completely made of fire and it had a mouthful of long sharp fangs. It landed and started taking chucks out of the monster, which caused it to scream out in pain.

Next to the winged lion landed what looked like a slightly smaller winged gorilla lion beast, the likes of which he had never seen. It was about 7-feet tall on all fours with huge beautiful black wings. It had the body of an enormous silverback gorilla with a lion’s legs and the head was a mix of both, a gorilla and a lion. It opened its mouth and showed huge long fangs that it sank into the smoke monster.

The monster screamed and released both Harry and Molly. They hit the floor and rolled out of the way of the smoke monster’s tentacles. Harry rushed to Molly, grabbed her and hauled her into the bathroom. He told her to stay in her bathroom and block the door so the smoke can’t get in. Molly was still a little woozy, but she agreed.

Harry turned around and found that he was behind the smoke monster, so he drew in some power and released fire lightning into the beast. It screamed out in pain and seemed to shake all over and draw in some of its smoke, it looked a little smaller. He drew in a huge amount of power and released a bolt of fire lightning that could take out an entire city block. He just held it on and on when he noticed that the 2-winged creatures were also shooting it with fire from the front.

The monster screamed and howled and slowly started shrinking. Harry had reached close to the end of his power and was feeling light-headed when suddenly the monster pulled in all of its smoke and slid out the window. It was gone in a flash and Harry dropped to the floor. Molly came running out and checked on Harry. He was woozy and groggy but still conscious.

The 2-winged creatures suddenly changed into a man and a woman, both looked around their mid-40’s and both were quite tall, 6’2” – 6’4”. Harry quickly recognized the man as his father’s father, but he didn’t know the female. They quickly came over to check on him and help him to sit on the bed. Harry said, “Thank you grandfather, how did you know I needed help?”

Molly had a very puzzled look on her face and kept looking from Harry to the man he just called grandfather. She asked, “What did you say? What did you mean by grandfather? Who are you people?”

While Harry was trying to get it clear in his head, the man said, “My name is Dwyar Fyerbran and I am the father of Harry’s dad and this is my wife, Athera. I am, Fire Lord and chief elder of the Sina-Mru people. My people are the Fire Lords, a clan of hunters and warriors. We have been the Defenders of Summer and Messengers of the realm for close to 2000 years.”

Athera sat down next to Harry and hugged him tight. She then started looking him over to make sure that he wasn’t hurt. After checking him, see kissed his forehead and patted his hands. Harry felt very uncomfortable being touched by a woman that he didn’t know, but he realized that this woman was his real grandmother, he had never had a grandmother and it made him feel all warm and funny inside.

Molly looked Dwyar directly in the face and said, “Grandfather, Harry’s grandfather, and you came to help, right?”

Dwyar smiled and said, “Yes, I am.”

Molly was on her feet, red with hot-blooded anger when she asked, “If you are his real grandfather, where the hell were you all of his life? Do you know how many times he has needed someone in his life, some level of family to be there for him. So, I ask again, where the hell have you been?”

Dwyar stood straight, looking at her and said, “I have been watching and have wanted to help him but if I stepped in and told him that his father had lived a lie and lied to him about everything. How do you think that would have helped him because I didn’t know and didn’t want to cause him any additional pain? If you are truly his friend, please think about that and let me know what I should have done different because I have thought about it for years now and still don’t have the answer.”

Molly stood there with a very puzzled look on her face and she turned and went back to the bathroom. She was mad that Harry had been put through all of this. Had to live with no family and thinking that he was all alone. Not to mention all the times that he could have used the help in fighting some of the battles that he has almost been killed in when he didn’t have to. He had family, real family.

She knew that he had suffered, almost died several times and even did die once but no one stepped forward to help or offer any level of support; money, strong shoulder to lean on or even a hug to help him get through.

But she also knew what his grandfather had just said about Harry’s father and their lives. He loved his father, more than anything else in the world and to find out that he had lied about everything to Harry, it would have torn him apart. His father was a fairy creature and his mother was a wizard, full of magic, maybe even Black Magic when he had always known that he had been human, 100 %.

Molly rolled it around and around in her mind and knew that she may have been wrong to jump up in his face. She also knew that she had to look him in his face again and she didn’t know if that was something that she could do. Just then came a light tap on the door and when she opened the door and looked Athera straight in the eyes. She smiled and asked if she could come in.

Athera came in and went to the mirror where she straightened her hair and check her make-up. After a few moments she turned around and said, “I can see that you truly care for Harry, probably even love him, right?” 

Molly hung her head and softly said, “Yes, I do.”

Athera smiled and stepped up and hugged Molly in her strong arms and said, “You should never be embarrassed to show that you truly love someone. Harry is very lucky to have such strong friends that truly care about him. I know how you feel about how family should act and that means that you have a very strong family, your father was the “Fist of God and a Former Knight of the Cross”. He has always been a very strong and honest man.”

Molly was shocked that she knew about her father. She asked, “How do you know about my father?”

Athera smiled and said, “I don’t just know about your father, my dear, I actually know your father. We had met several years ago when you were just a young girl. When we met, I asked him about the best way to tell Harry about his father and our family and he advised that telling anything like that to Harry would probably be the very worst thing ever in his life. He explained how he understood Harry and how much he loved his father and that he felt that if we truly loved him, we should not tell him.”

She was quiet for a while but said, “I believed your father when he told me that and I truly believe that he was correct. I wanted more than anything to go to Harry and tell him about his family and hug him, I’m a bit of a hugger if you didn’t already get that. But I also knew that I couldn’t, and you cannot understand how much it hurt me to not be with my grandson.”

Molly had tears running down her face and was so ashamed. She then said, “I have no idea what would have been the best thing to do. I am sorry I jumped on your husband; I had no right.”

Athera smiled and said, “That is where you are wrong, you love him and have every right to stand up for him and I am very happy that you care enough. Thank you my dear, you are a wonderful person.” They hugged and cried a little and then checked their make-up and went out to see the guys.

They walked out and found Harry and his grandfather sitting on the edge of the bed talking. They stopped as the ladies arrived and Harry asked, “Molly, are you ok?”

Athera spoke up said, “She was just a little worn out after fighting with that monster. Have you figured out what happened or what it was?”

Dwyar said, “I ran into one of those many years ago. It’s called an “Ifrit” which is a legendary supernatural creature found in Arabic and Islamic cultures. They are generally associated with fire, smoke and prokinetics, smokeless flame or "scorching fire. The Ifrit is used to induce death. I can tell you that they do not give up and they are not very easy to kill.”

Harry sighed and said, “Well, that explains a lot. What else do you know about them?”

Dwyar said, “Unless you somehow personally pissed off one of these creatures, they normally are conjured and sent after you. I can tell you that what Athera and I were throwing at it probably didn’t really do it any harm, but your magic was seriously harming it.”

Athera said, “I think that it might be a good idea to get out of here and someplace a little safer, don’t you?”

Molly nodded her head several times and said, “I agree with your grandmother, we should go.”

Harry spoke up saying, “I can’t leave yet. I have to check a few locations and ask a few questions, first.”

Molly said, “I think you have all the information that you will need. Let’s get while the getting is good.”

Athera smiled and said, “I understand that you have a job to do but I also know that this sweet girl and I both need to get away from here. I am far too old, and she is far too young to have to deal with this. I suggest that she and I leave you 2 here to get your information and then you get out of here as soon as you get it.”

Harry looked at Molly and asked, “Is that what you want, Mol? Do you want to leave?”

She smiled weakly and said, “Harry, that smoke thing scared me shitless. I am not made to fight something like that, I’m sorry but Yes I want to get away from here.”

Harry smiled and said, “That is fine, Molly, I understand completely, and I didn’t want to be the one to tell you that you should go, thank you.” He then turned to Athera and said, “Can you turn into a large enough bird to carry her out of here?”

Athera smiled and said, “I sure can. How about a large Griffin, would that work?”

Molly smiled big and said, “Yeah, sure. I have never seen a griffin or rode on one but let’s do it.”

\------------------------- -------------------------

Rowland screamed at the top of his lungs. He threw a chair across the room and it smashed against the wall. He brought up a blue fire ball and slammed it into the back wall. The wall exploded leaving a huge hole in what used to be a wall. He shook his fists in the air and screamed again.

Marax said, “That isn’t really helping anything, you know?”

Rowland turned around and pointed his finger at her saying, “If I want any of your lip, I will scrap it off my zipper, witch. Now shut up and let me think.”

Marax stepped forward and raised her arm with her hand stretched wide open and her fingers pointing up toward the sky like she was holding a bowl. She quickly made a fist and held it up a little higher. Suddenly Rowland was gasping and clawing at his throat like he was having trouble breathing. He slowly lifted into the air and was quickly turning blue from the lack of oxygen.

She said, “You mangy self-righteous pile of demon shit. You will not ever talk to me like that again. I am hundreds of times your age and your better and I will kill you in so many painful ways that you will beg to be unborn.”

Just as Rowland passed out from the lack of oxygen, she twisted her hand and jerked her arm straight while opening her fingers. He flew across the room and smashed into the wall hard enough to break through it into the other room.

Daniera ran to Rowland and uncovered him from the plaster and wood to find him still alive. After several minutes, Rowland started to move around and finally woke up enough to stand with Daniera’s help. He slowly walked back into the room and across to stand in front of Marax. He stared at her and then said, “Forgive me, I lost my good senses when I heard that the wizard had defeated the Ifrit. I am sorry for my words and actions.”

Marax raised her arms palms up and the air swirled around her for a few seconds and then died away. What stood in front of him was a huge demon standing almost 8-feet tall with massive horns on and around her head that trailed down her back to a large tail that was covered with scales and a large pointed spike at the end.

She had legs like those on a Velociraptor dinosaur with 3 razor sharp talons in the front and 1 on the heel of her feet. She had 2 sets of arms, the top set were long muscular human like arms, but the bottom set were twice as long and had razor sharp hook-like talons instead of hands. She had large bug-like eyes that allowed her to see almost 240 degrees around her.

She stood tall and her voice sounded like the crack of thunder, she said, “I will not tolerate another display like this ever again. This has been your last warning. Do I make myself clear to you?”

Rowland swallowed and said, “I understand and will never act this way again.” Daniera was crouching in the corner hiding her face with her hands covering her ears. Marax raised her arms again and the air started spinning until she completely disappeared.

\------------------------- -------------------------

Harry with the help of his grandfather, managed to teleport in and out of the hotel and he was able to check a couple of the sites on Martha’s list. He found that the same magic residue left in the Royal Forest and at each of the attack sites. He knew that all of this was the work of Rowland. He knew that he had to hurry back to Chicago and get started searching for Rowland and put a stop to him and his TOCs.

He and Dwyar talked at length about this Rowland and what he had done so far and what he knew that he was planning to do to Chicago. They talked about why Rowland seemed to be coming after him and his family. They knew that he was trying to get a hold of him and kill him and if he had to kill his family or friends to do so, so be it.

Dwyar teleported Harry back to his home, dropping him just out front of his door and then left to meet with a few others.

Harry grabbed his truck and drove to the BFS to talk to Marcone. When he arrived, he noticed that security had been beefed up and after he had gotten into the building and up to Marcone’s office, he found armed guards standing at his office door. He walked in and knocked at the same time. He walked in to find Marcone sitting at his desk, calmly doing paperwork. He said, “it is true, the job is never done until all the paperwork is finished.”

“Afternoon Harry, isn’t it a little early for toilet humor,” he replied? “Are you aware of how much it is going to cost to refinish that suite in The Excelsior Hotel?”

Harry dropped into one of the 2 chairs sitting in front of his desk. He said, “No, not really but I bet it won’t be cheap. Sorry about that, John.”

Marcone dropped his hands to the desktop and said, “Sorry? Is that all you have to say?”

Harry sat up and said, “I had nothing to do with what happened in the Excelsior, it was Rowland. He sent 2 dozen Demon Orcs to kill Molly and myself. We were lucky we didn’t get killed or worse.”

Marcone seemed to relax and said, “I understand that, and I also know that Rowland was behind both attacks, but what bothers me the most is the amount of damage even when it is not your fault.”

Harry replied, “John, I don’t normally have the luxury of worrying about wiping the dirt off of my shoes or if my tea glass is on a doily. I am usually fighting for my life or that of some innocent person. When I fight the bad guys, shit happens and most of the time I feel really bad about it but since this is just about money, your money, I’m not so bothered.”

Marcone eased back in his chair and said, “You know Harry, you are an asshole.”

He smiled big and said, “I know but I have learned to live with myself in spite of it.”


End file.
